October 2017 – Ongoing

In Sierra Leone, menstruation is believed to be a female-only issue and is therefore not openly discussed. Religious and traditional beliefs and practices also contribute to the perpetuation of a sense of taboo around the topic.

WYCF believe that every menstruating girl and woman has the right to access information and safe, affordable, culturally appropriate and environment friendly products. Providing daily cleaned gender-segregated bathrooms where the girls can wash and clean themselves and change menstrual hygiene pads is an equally fundamental part of making them feel comfortable at school at all times.

The challenges:

– Lack of knowledge and understanding;

– Marginalization and stigma related to leaks, stains and odours.

– Unaffordable absorbent materials;

– Discomfort, itching, irritation and infection due to the use of inappropriate absorbent materials;

– Lack of disposal system;

– Increased absence from school, reduced participation in class and consequent underperformance;

– General withdraw from social settings.

Our solution:

– Sensitize our students, both girls and boys, to the concept of menstruation and all its implications while demystifying taboos around it;

– Introduce the idea of reusable pads and promote their usage;

– Propel the local production of reusable pads.

The outcomes:

– 1,550 schoolgirls educated on the menstrual cycle and sexual and reproductive health both male and female.  

– 523 community women reached with reproductive health and menstruation education in both Western and Rural areas in 2017-2023;

– 243 women equipped and trained on reusable menstrual pads production;

– 5,560 reusable menstrual pads produced in 2017-2023;

– 5,560 reusable menstrual pads distributed to 1,390 girls and women.