Did you know that many girls miss a week of school every time because of menstruation? This is the case on Bonthe Island.
We can solve this in a simple and cheap way by investing in a menstrual cup that the girls can use. These cost 120 NOK per piece.
And if you want to know why or how we plan to set up the project, you can get more information by clicking Read more.
If you want to help, you send send us donation through Vipps: 530 591.
About our menstrual cup
Menstrual cups, For those who don’t know, are a small cup that can replace sanitary pads. We are in dialogue with two retailers, Freedomscup and Rubycup. Today, a menstrual cup costs 120 kroner. Our goal is to help 1,000 girls in Bonthe with menstrual cups. To achieve this, the organization needs 120,000 kroner
We are grateful for all the financial support we receive, and it is of course up to you how much you wish to contribute.
Why do we want to offer menstrual cups to the girls at Bonthe?
Girls have an extra challenge compared to boys, and that is menstruation. A family that with very low income has to make priorities. This applies to the families that belong to our school on Bonthe Island and the school in Bonthe town where many of our students continue after primary school. One expense item that they often have to ignore are sanitary napkins. The girls therefore use old cloths or towels during their period. As a result, many of the girls will take time off from school during their period. They feel unsure whether the protection will last through a school day, and it is also unhygienic. We want to give them an opportunity so that it does not interfere with their everyday life and attendance at school.
How will the distribution take place?
Menstrual cups can be purchased in many places, but we have selected companies that sell them with the intention of distributing them to girls who grow up in areas where education about the body is almost non-existing. The training will consist of groups that will learn about menstruation itself, and why we menstruate (reproduction). It will include lessons about hygiene and the benefits of menstrual cups. Groups are put together so that the students can ask questions and start conversations about this. This will break down some taboos, which unfortunately there are many of.
This type of training is primarily based on the fact that we want to train mothers/nurses and female teachers. The second phase is groups of apprentices – girls/young women who are students. Among the different groups, a network will also be created to support each other through frequent meetings/social media so that doubts and concerns can be addressed.
Who is responsible for the training?
The educational training will be carried out by SLCBO in collaboration with girls/women who will eventually gain their own experience with the use of menstrual cups, as well as health personnel. Together, they will be able to devise the best way to handle this that is adapted to these villages.
Who is responsible for the project?
Does he/she/they work in the field?
90% of the project participants are based on Bonthe Island. All programs and activities are managed by the project coordinator who is supported by other participants.
Who will act as the support network/permanent contact person (s) for the users on site?
The entire staff will function as a support network. The permanent contact person on site will be the project manager. He/she will be responsible for networking with different groups of apprentices and colleagues. He/she will also be responsible for follow-up and reporting.
It is important that girls learn how to use the menstrual cup correctly. This will be explained and shown using video. We save the videos on memory cards so that they can be viewed on phones or tablets. There is no TV in the area where our school is located. As previously mentioned, great emphasis will be placed on hygiene, including proper hand washing. It is not common to use soap when washing hands. Therefore, there will be separate pots to clean the menstrual cup, so that they can be boiled and kept clean. We will also explain how to care for a menstrual cup until the next time it is used.
We will ask those running the project for a preliminary report after 6 months. We will review certain points about experiences, how this has been received and parts of the project are being assessed so that we can make sure that we are disseminating the best possible information and training.
The project manager will be responsible for registering the following every two months:
- The name of the school/girls.
- Specific project activities
- Activity reviews
- Support provided by mothers/caregivers and the girls’ teachers
- Influence from friends/peers
- Girls’ self-confidence
- Record changes
- Challenges
- Action initiated
- User support and follow-up to ensure correct use
- User experience and customize guidance based on feedback.
We are in dialogue with two suppliers of the menstrual cups Freedomcup and Rubycup.
We hope that this has sparked your interest, and that you will help to contribute to a safer everyday life for these girls.
See our websites www.slcbo.org and at www.facebook.com/slcbo for more information about our organization and projects.
SLCBO has virtually zero administrative costs. All support goes directly to the projects.
Kind regards
Isaac H Mansaray
CEO at SLCBO