Amref Health Africa in Tanzania is proud to be at the forefront of improving menstrual hygiene management in the country. On May 28th, 2023, we joined the world in commemorating Menstrual Hygiene Day under the theme “To make menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030” – with a goal to build a world where no one is held back because they menstruate.
Menstrual hygiene management is a critical component of women’s health and well-being. In Tanzania, many women and girls face significant challenges in managing their menstrual cycles. Lack of access to proper menstrual hygiene products, inadequate sanitation facilities, and cultural taboos surrounding menstruation all contribute to this challenge.
At the core of our programming, we partner with communities and schools to increase access to menstrual hygiene products and improve the quality of sanitation facilities, as well as breaking-down cultural taboos through open dialogue about menstruation.
As part of the commemoration, Amref Tanzania participated in media-driven campaign of NAMTHAMINI #NasimamaNAE, an initiative that aims to ensure girls stay in school during their menstrual cycle by providing them with affordable sanitary pads.
Amref Tanzania has been a supporter in menstrual hygiene management through its various interventions. One of these interventions is the Timiza Malengo project, which has reached more than 86,000 Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) with sanitary pads from 18 Councils in Dodoma, Tanga, Morogoro, Singida, and Geita Regions. The programme targets AGYW who are in and out of school, with the main objective of preventing them from HIV infections.
In addition, through the Pro Poor Safe Sanitation (PPSS) project, Amref Tanzania worked to improve menstrual hygiene management in the Ilemela district, Mwanza, by training 79 teachers and community members, including 24% male participants, and enhancing hygiene and sanitation infrastructure in eight primary schools. The efforts resulted in the production of 98 reusable sanitary pads, 41 of which were made by boys, saving TZS 55,000 per girl per year compared to disposable pads. Girls’ school attendance increased by 24% between January and December 2022 as a result.
Amref’s Taka Ni Mali na Afya project also supported menstrual hygiene management by constructing and renovating five school toilet facilities with MHM equipment, benefiting over 5,000 adolescent girls at six schools in Ilala Municipality, Dar Es Salaam.
These efforts have not gone unnoticed, as Lydia Alex, a student at Kisororo Primary School shared her experience. “Before the project, I used to miss school during my menstrual cycle because I couldn’t afford sanitary pads. But since the project started, I have been able to stay in school and focus on my studies,” she said.
John Makala, the headmaster of Ilemela Primary School, a beneficiary of the PPSS project, commended Amref Tanzania, saying, “we are grateful to Amref for providing us with training on menstrual hygiene management. Our students are now able to design on their own menstrual hygiene products. Formation of school clubs and their training in promotion and awareness of personal hygiene and menstrual hygiene habits, which has improved their health and well-being.”
Building on the support of The Global Fund Programme and Junta de Castilla y Leon, we remain committed to our goal of making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030. We believe every woman and girl deserves access to resources and support they need to manage their menstrual cycles with dignity and respect. This highlights the importance of menstrual hygiene management as a human rights issue and emphasises the need for continued collaboration between organisations and governments.
Story written by: Julieth Mongi