International Menstrual Hygiene Day: Teenagers Mentored On Menstrual Hygiene Techniques

Fozao Vaniela

TeenAlive Association and the Nkwenti's Foundation have in a one day capacity building workshop armed about 42 young girls with the necessary techniques on how to better handle their mentrual cycle.

         Workshop Session

This was part of activities to mark the 2022 edition of the International Day of Menstrual Hygiene that took place at Big Mankon Bamenda with the theme: "To create a world where no one is held back because they menstruate by 2030."

During the workshop, Ngonga Linda from the TeenAlive Association explained that:

"Our goal is that by 2030, all our young girls should be able to manage their cycle without issues while carrying out their day to day activities. This is so because stigmatization has caused many to shy away from school when mentruating with some cultures making it hard for them to lay hands on sanitory kits."

             Ngonga Linda; TeenAlive Association

While calling on the society to support young girls  during menstruation, Ngonga Linda adviced that  re-usable pads be priotized,

" We emphasize on re-usable pads because they are environmentally friendly. The normal pads are disposed just any how after they have been used which is not friendly to the environment. These re-usable pads are cheaper and affordable. They are made up of cotton that allows the vagina to breathe unlike the regular pad that is air tight and doesn't allow you to feel free. That is why we are advocating more for the use of the re-usable pads."

She also told the young girls that It is their joy and pride when menstruating because it already tells them that they can have children. She invited them to open up to seniors so that they can assist them because menstruation comes with a lot of challenges and they really need mentorship to go through."

      Participants of the event

Takeu Precious is 14 years of age. She shared her experience on her first menstrual period also known as "menarche"

" I started menstruating at 12 and i felt like a real woman.My parents have been encouraging me. I am proud that i can menstruate every month."

The international Menstrual Hygiene Day is a day set aside by the United Nations to commemorate the menstrual hygiene of women and young girls.

             View of participants