Over 40 girls and young mothers in the Goroyo area of Juba County’s Luri Payam received dignity kits containing reusable sanitary pads, soap and towels on Thursday to help them manage menstruation safely and live in dignity.
The distribution, organized by the Women Foundation for Humanity, aims to improve menstrual hygiene and ensure girls remain in school during their menstrual periods.
Speaking during the event, the Executive Director of Women Foundation for Humanity, Dorothy Ambrose Drabuga, said no girl should miss school because of menstruation.
“Today we are here because we want to give out dignity kits to young girls and young women. This initiative is funded by the German Cooperation, co-funded by the European Union and implemented by GIZ in partnership with Women’s Foundation for Humanity,” she said. “So today we are here to give out the dignity kits to the young girls and the vulnerable girls and women.”
Drabuga said the initiative seeks to address one of the challenges many school-going girls face during menstruation.
“I know that women go through a lot, especially the young girls, because of the menstrual period. We are giving these things because we don’t want our girls to skip out of school because they are on their menstrual period,” she said. “So let the menstruation period not stop you from going to school. Also for women, it cannot stop you from doing other things just because you are in your menstruation period. This is nature.”
Drabuga encouraged the beneficiaries to maintain proper hygiene by using and caring for the reusable sanitary pads correctly, noting that many families cannot afford disposable sanitary products due to the country’s economic challenges.
“There is a piece of soap in each of the bags. Make sure that you keep yourself clean,” she advised. “You change your panties. You wash the pads all the time. Keep it clean. Don’t go and sell it. This is for your own use.”
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