Safe Periods for girls in Nigerian urban slums

This report is a reflection on the project when she bleeds.
The project “When She Bleeds” is a collection of period poems initiated by the Girl Child Art Foundation(GCAF) ahead of Menstrual hygiene day, May 28, to enable young girls to express themselves on menstrual issues through poetry.

Menstruation is a sensitive topic to discuss with young girls and is sometimes considered taboo in many cultures. Menstruation usually means that when a young girl is on her period, she could face isolation, miss school, and may not have a sanitary pad or a kit for menstrual hygiene.
According to UNICEF, roughly half of the female population, around 26 per cent of the global population, are of reproductive age. As a result, many girls do not have access to safe, sanitary products, says Ms Ananaba. These underlying reasons led GCAF to organise the campaign. The campaign elicits menstrual issues, especially during the pandemic, and creates awareness of menstrual hygiene management (MHM).

The campaign announcement reached about 80 000 views and clicks from persons between the ages of 10-64 years through our social media platforms- Instagram, Facebook pages and website. About 48 entries were received nationwide, with Lagos, Delta and Rivers states topping the chart. Each poem contains a unique story about how each girl had to cope with menstrual hygiene, especially during the pandemic.

Due to the long-year COVID-19 lockdown across the globe, the When She Bleeds project ran remotely. In addition, the pandemic posed a challenge to menstrual hygiene management, which necessitated the project.

The project had some challenges, which included;

Inability to meet the girls one-on-one
Inaccessibility to public schools

These challenges, precipitated by the pandemic, continued to hinder any physical connection and approach until recently. To tackle the challenges, the project team at GCAF are working on utilising the virtual space and social distancing for subsequent interventions and poem recitation projects.

Furthermore, the project identified some loopholes like the late viewership of social media campaign messages such as ‘When She Bleeds’ and the unlimited time for the campaign. Therefore, the organisation will make announcements to accommodate more girls into the project. It will also enable others who view the project announcements late to have enough time to participate.

Despite the challenges, there were significant accomplishments in this project;
First, the project helped drive conversation about Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) and create awareness. While the data collated from our Instagram and Facebook handles indicates that over 80 000 people read about the project.
Second, the project also showcased and encouraged creative storytelling through poetry.

It is important to note that many girls did not have phones- some would have preferred to participate in this project physically.
GCAF mainly worked with volunteers to carry out activities for this project. Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is a critical part of bodily autonomy and a core focus for the Girl Child Art Foundation (GCAF).

We appreciate your support, financial contributions and advisory support. Our activities and supplies are provided for these girls at no cost. Your donations make it possible to pay for the logistics and administrative costs. These would not have been possible without your efforts. Thank you for making these services available for our girls. THANK YOU!

Links:

• Readable version on isuu.