Local Group Empowers Learners with Menstrual Health Awareness

In a bid to break the silence surrounding menstruation and empower young students with knowledge, a dedicated group of Kistefos Opportunity Bursary recipients recently embarked on a community service project at Nathaniel Nyaluza Public Secondary School in Makhanda. This engagement was an essential aspect of societal growth—a platform to share knowledge and skills between those who possess them and those who lack them.

This group of enthusiastic individuals recognised the need to serve their community and set their sights on Nathaniel Nyaluza Public Secondary School, a co-educational institution spanning grades 8 through 12, to create awareness about menstruation, educating students, and address the persistent stigma associated with this natural process.

The project further sought to tackle not only the lack of comprehensive menstrual education in schools but also the silence surrounding menstruation within families. Addressing these challenges meant spreading awareness about the seriousness of menstruation, its anatomical aspects, danger signs to watch for, and the correct disposal of sanitary pads.

The Pad Drive utilised a meticulously prepared presentation that covered various critical topics and opened the floor for student engagement through a quiz session where they had the chance to win prizes. This initiative proved to be a resounding success with the township-located school. Each student walked away with at least one valuable piece of information that they could share with their families.

Sipokazi Mrara, a Kistefos Opportunity Bursary recipient studying pharmacy at Rhodes University, expressed her pleasure in educating the learners and the eagerness of the learners to clarify myths and seek scientific evidence. She pledged to continue doing more community service to aid societal growth.

Okuhle Mpaka and Elize Kalonji, who are also studying pharmacy at Rhodes, acknowledged the success of the project and expressed gratitude to the teachers and students of Nathaniel Nyaluza High School. Kalonje highlighted the warm welcome they received from the learners and teachers and their efforts to dispel myths surrounding menstruation.

The Pad Drive received generous donations through the Johnson & Johnson Thandolwethu Project, implemented by the Small Projects Foundation. This initiative serves as a beacon of hope, shedding light on the importance of open dialogue, education, and empowerment concerning menstruation, a topic that had long been shrouded in silence.

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