One out of ten teenage girls throughout Africa’s most rural regions misses a considerable amount of school each year, as much as 25% annually, due to the humiliation and stigma related to menstruation. As they do not have access to or cannot afford basics such as sanitary pads, they are forced to improvise by using mattress foam, rags, feathers, leaves and even newspaper which is not only humiliating but ineffective. Their menstrual hygiene impacts these young girls’ education, health and their overall future.
“The shame associated with having a period is sometimes too much to bear for teenage girls – and so they skip school. In extreme cases girls have been known to drop-out altogether,” says Katja Quasdorf, CEO at Jenman African Safaris. “A girl’s period should not hold her back from her future so we are getting involved to make an impact on this issue whilst joining the fight to break to the taboo of menstruation in Africa.”
Penya, translated from Shona, means “to shine” and this project’s core objective is to empower entire generations of teenage girls to have a brighter future. Subz Pads will also be hosting a series of educational workshops and motivational talks to encourage these young women to focus on building their careers ahead.
Jenman African Safaris is aiming to raise R75,000 to supply each of Dingani Primary School’s grade six and seven girls with a set of Subz panties and pads on an ongoing and sustainable basis, as well as providing educational workshops.
Click here to help Project Penya raise funds.
