It has been a month since I started implementing a project called “10+ Her Period Her Pride” as a Women Deliver young leader for the class of 2020. About 40 girls in Lilongwe district have been trained on how to make reusable sanitary pads.

 Although the project is intended to reach about 300 girls, but what about the rest of the girls who will not be able to access the training workshops due to the limited financial resources at my disposal? The project’s proposed ripple effect works by enabling the trainees under this project to train many other girls within  their communities.

But again, what about the other girls who are also struggling to access menstrual hygiene products (sanitary pads) in other districts across Malawi?

This is why the project is advocating for improved access to sanitary pads among primary and secondary school girls.

 No girl should miss classes due to lack of sanitary pads.

 As a young leader, I have done my part and I am calling upon the Government of Malawi to allocate adequate resources towards menstrual hygiene in primary and secondary schools. For instance, removing tax on sanitary products would go a long way towards achieving this goal.

Girls should not fail to enjoy their rights to equality, health and education due to menstruation.

I feel that there is need for some innovative thinking in striving to achieve this. For instance, the Ministry of Education should include the making of sanitary pads within the school curricula.

Education is the most powerful tool which we can use to improve access to sanitary pads among school girls, thereby contributing to ending period poverty in Malawi.