Dar es Salaam. The challenges
faced by young girls at the onset of menstruation cause
some to miss school for a number of days or drop out altogether. Unfortunately menstrual
management is missing from the school agenda and the issue hardly captures the attention
of policy makers, let alone the headlines.
some to miss school for a number of days or drop out altogether. Unfortunately menstrual
management is missing from the school agenda and the issue hardly captures the attention
of policy makers, let alone the headlines.
Water and sanitation facilities for girls in
schools are also either totally missing, in deplorable
condition or inadequate to meet their special needs.
condition or inadequate to meet their special needs.
At the onset of adolescence and menstruation, many
young girls in Tanzania face a myriad
of challenges that cause most of them to miss school or drop out altogether.
of challenges that cause most of them to miss school or drop out altogether.
Poverty and distribution challenges often mean
that commercial brands of sanitary protection
costing between Sh2,000 to Sh3,000 per month are either unavailable, in-affordable or out
of reach for many young girls in Tanzania.
costing between Sh2,000 to Sh3,000 per month are either unavailable, in-affordable or out
of reach for many young girls in Tanzania.
“Thus young girls use anything, from tree leaves,
old rags, toilet paper, pieces of newspapers,
literally anything that can do the job to stem the flow of monthly periods.
literally anything that can do the job to stem the flow of monthly periods.
Moreover, notable challenges face the girls in
school, including shortage and inadequacy
of proper toilets with doors in order to give the girls privacy and dignity, lack of waste
disposal facilities and lack of reliable water in most schools,” says T-MARC
Tanzania Public Relations and Communication manager Maurice Chirimi.
of proper toilets with doors in order to give the girls privacy and dignity, lack of waste
disposal facilities and lack of reliable water in most schools,” says T-MARC
Tanzania Public Relations and Communication manager Maurice Chirimi.
As such girls suffer discomfort and embarrassment,
leading many to miss school
during their menses. In a bid to meet their needs, others fall victim to sugar daddies,
leading to early pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
during their menses. In a bid to meet their needs, others fall victim to sugar daddies,
leading to early pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
Again in Tanzania, more than 11 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19 years become sexually
active before they are 15 years old.
active before they are 15 years old.
By the age of 16, one in ten girls have begun
child-bearing; this rises to one in five by
17 years and to more than one in three by 18 years and that’s according to Unicef –
Tanzania Adolescence Report, 2010.
17 years and to more than one in three by 18 years and that’s according to Unicef –
Tanzania Adolescence Report, 2010.
“Ideally these girls should still be in school and
therefore there is a crucial need for
intervention that delay onset on sexual debut among teens, especially girls,” Chirimi says
intervention that delay onset on sexual debut among teens, especially girls,” Chirimi says
Through education and resources on menstrual
hygiene management provided through the
Hakuna Wasichoweza Girls Empowerment Programme, 5,784 adolescent girls in
Mtwara Region now have a better chance to avoid teenage pregnancy, school drop
outs and HIV infections.
Hakuna Wasichoweza Girls Empowerment Programme, 5,784 adolescent girls in
Mtwara Region now have a better chance to avoid teenage pregnancy, school drop
outs and HIV infections.
The Hakuna Wasichoweza Girls Empowerment Programme
was launched in 2013
with support from the United States Agency for International Development - USaid
($200,000) and the Vodacom Foundation ($100,000), and is implemented by T-MARC
Tanzania, a local non-governmental organisation working to improve the health of Tanzanians.
Through this programme, T-MARC has facilitated the roll out of training sessions for in and out
of school girls with the aim of equipping them with education, knowledge and free sanitary pads
that assist them in menstrual hygiene management. The training sessions and free sanitary pads
have so far reached 5,232 pre-adolescent girls in 24 primary schools, and another 552 out of
school adolescent girls in 17 wards of Mtwara Region.
with support from the United States Agency for International Development - USaid
($200,000) and the Vodacom Foundation ($100,000), and is implemented by T-MARC
Tanzania, a local non-governmental organisation working to improve the health of Tanzanians.
Through this programme, T-MARC has facilitated the roll out of training sessions for in and out
of school girls with the aim of equipping them with education, knowledge and free sanitary pads
that assist them in menstrual hygiene management. The training sessions and free sanitary pads
have so far reached 5,232 pre-adolescent girls in 24 primary schools, and another 552 out of
school adolescent girls in 17 wards of Mtwara Region.
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