Recent press reports have highlighted that 5 million girls miss school due to menstruation-related challenges. This means that 18% of their annual school time is lost during their menstrual cycle due to a lack of access to sanitary towels. Robert Kwesiga, the Secretary General of the Uganda Red Cross Society, has revealed that girls who do not have access to sanitary pads are often forced to stay home during their periods to avoid the stigma associated with staining their school uniform with menstrual blood (The Monitor, August 14th, 2023).

This menstrual hygiene dilemma has affected Chance Omari, a 16-year-old refugee pupil from Congo who attends Old Kampala Primary School in the slums of central Kampala.
She came to Uganda in 2009 with her mother after her father was killed in Congo. Omari dreams of becoming a lawyer and inspiring young minds, but her aspirations are challenged by the fact that she misses school during her menstrual cycle. Despite the facade of youthful exuberance, Omari grapples with a harsh reality every day. She routinely misses a few days of school each month because she does not have access to sanitary towels. This affects her confidence and performance in class.

PHOTO CREDIT: Chance Omari 16 years old at her mother’s home.

“It is routine, to miss a few days of school each month when in my menstrual period because l have, no sanitary towels to use. This affects my confidence and performance in class. “I am afraid to be in public in case I get blood stains on my clothes. I fear being laughed at by boys in school. I admire my peers who can attend school even while on their periods. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to enjoy the same privilege,” she says shyly.

During her period, she uses cotton wool and rags as sanitary towels since her mother doesn’t have money to buy pads.
Interventions
AOWR-U and Lifting Hands have partnered to help empower refugee women by training them in poultry farming. The goal is to provide them with the skills to earn an income and meet their basic needs, as well as those of their families. The project focuses on teaching women how to manage and maintain poultry farming.

Call to Action:

It is crucial to prioritize keeping girls in school, and one way we can do this is by ensuring they have access to menstrual hygiene products. With a collaborative effort from stakeholders who donate towards purchasing sanitary towels, we can make this possible. As the well-known saying goes, educating a girl is equivalent to educating a nation. Therefore, let’s work together to keep girls in school because you and I can make a difference.

Written By Angela Nsimbi