Train 100 men & 40 boys in Uganda on menstruation

SUMMARY:

African Child and Youth Development Initiative (ACYDI) conducted Radio Talk Show Programs on Increasing Menstrual Health Management (MHM) Awareness to 100 men and 40 boys in 52 Buvuma Isolated Islands. The Radio Talk Show Programs aimed at increasing awareness and sensitizing communities including Buvuma Islands and fishing communities on Menstrual Health Management (MHM) and how they can support girls and women to manage their periods.This will increase their knowledge, attitude & practice on menstruation thus increased access to hygienic menstrual materials, scholastic materials that'll reduce school absenteeism, dropout, child marriage & early teenege pregnancies.

ACTIONS TAKEN/IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES:

Mr Kikonyogo Robert, Executive Director for African Child and Youth Development Initiative (ACYDI) participated in the Radio Talk show programs that were conducted through April-June 2023, and hosted by different radios especially BUSOGA ONE 90.6FM radio station in Jinja City, Uganda. 

Through ACYDI’s trainings and awareness MHM campaigns, the knowledge about personal hygiene and menstrual cycles has increased among girls, boys, parents, teachers and communities along with a change in behaviour with regard to personal hygiene during menstruation, partly due to the training on making reusable pads and sensitisation on availability of affordable sanitary pads.

Furthermore, (ACYDI) trained over 15 members of Village Health Teams (voluntary health workers from the villages, VHTs) to raise MHM awareness among boys, men, girls and women in 5 Buvuma isolated islands.

CHALLENGES:

According to the callers/audience during the Radio Talk shows, it was discovered that there’s a need for the improvement of the personal hygiene and health of girls. There is an issue of lack of sustainable, affordable and accessible sanitary protection in Buvuma Islands and the boys aren’t paying attention to the importance of good hygiene and personal care for their sisters. Buvuma district is made up of 52 isolated islands and there’s no school girl-child-friendly latrines, schools don’t have separate toilets for boys and girls. It is important to note that the girls' toilet block should have a small washroom, where they can clean up when they are having their period.
In Buvuma islands, lack of affordable sanitary protection is a big problem because sanitary pads are only sold at the mainland and lack of reliable water transport make it difficult to get there every month.

The commercially available disposable sanitary pads are expensive hence seen as a luxury and not as a basic provision for hygiene and health.
Lack of willingness and resources to aid the menstrual health campaigns across the islands make it hard to carry out sensitisation.