NSHUPU, TANZANIA, March 08, 2017. Today Precious Project hosted Femme International and welcomed dozens of local village women and adolescent girls to discuss a commonly taboo subject to talk about: menstrual health.  It’s a significant issue in Tanzania that threatens women’s health and keeps thousands of girls out of school. Precious witnessed this firsthand through discussions with one of it women’s empowerment group, which prompted Precious leaders to take action.

Tanzania has one of the worst secondary school completion rates for girls in sub-Sahara Africa. Among the common reasons girls drop out is the onset of menstruation. Girls in underprivileged families are particularly vulnerable, as they don’t have the financial resources to purchase sanitary supplies. They must make do with rags, leaves or mud that can cause infection or render them seriously ill and infertile. Some just stay at home with shame during their periods.

Over 100 women and girls attended the Femme International workshop at the Precious’ campus to learn how to discuss and manage their periods in a healthy way. The trainers, themselves young Tanzanian women, provided attendees the knowledge and resources to care for their bodies in healthy ways. Open, friendly, and speaking in rapid-fire Kiswahili, the trainers commanded the room discussing the ‘secrets’ of women’s bodies that they never learned from their mothers.  Participants were provided pictures and a vocabulary to discuss their anatomy and hygiene with respect, candor and ‘kujikubali’ (a Kiswahili word for accepting yourself as you are).

Attendees initially followed up the presentation discreetly – anonymously submitting questions on cards.  As embarrassment soon gave way, participants openly shared their questions and stories. All the women and girls received a bag containing a well-designed state-of-the-art washable and reusable sanitary pad and tulip cup that can last for up to ten years. We believe each left with the resources to change their lives and future generations. The hope is that they would disseminate their knowledge to others so more girls won’t let their periods stop them from attending school.