CELEBRATING WOMEN--ALL WOMEN BUT ESPECIALLY MY
BEAUTIFUL AFRICAN
WOMEN
Not
long after our January 10, 2014 arrival in the DR Congo I became
aware that many African girls drop out of school when they began menstruating.
I learned that girls are given virtually no information about what is happening
to their bodies when they experience this basic biological function.
Due to cultural taboos women and girls
suffer in silence during their menstrual cycle. Often they are made to sit on a
towel or blanket in cramped, unsanitary conditions without food and water
unless someone brings it to them. Commercial sanitary products are extremely
expensive and often available only if girls are willing to suffer sexual
exploitation in exchange.
Around mid-February I became
acquainted with two absolutely amazing “CAN-DO” ex-pat women: Nilza Grana, a
savvy Portuguese and Manon Delisle, a relentless French- Canadian who doesn’t
know the meaning of the words “difficult” or “impossible”. It took only one short meeting with these
ladies discussing the maturation problem African women face and the ball began
to roll.
Word of the project spread rapidly and
our team of three grew dramatically as we found men and women eager to work
tirelessly to make life better for the women of Kinshasa, DRC. By May 1 seventy-five young women, their
mothers and grandmothers were ready to sew with hundreds of yards of fabric and
sewing machines (hand and foot treadle)
tuned, and on that day two hundred and fifty maturation kits were produced and
distributed along with a hygiene lesson. On June 7 we celebrated our success
with a celebration of women entitled “I ENJOY BEING A GIRL.” Over 200 women joyfully celebrated their
womanhood with dance, song, motivation and refreshments.
Kinshasa is a city of 8 million people
so we are just getting started. Our next maturation project in a different part
of the city is set for October 2014. Women’s
maturation isn’t an issue only in Africa; it exists in many developing parts of
the world. To get information about how
you can help, even in a small way go on-line to an organization that is helping
women and girls all over the world. www.daysforgirls.org. But I warn you, when you get started, the
work is so fulfilling you may find yourself addicted.
What is in our maturation kits? Take a
look at our pictures and CELEBRATE the women of the world.
·
1 plastic-lined carrying case to hold sanitary kit items
·
1 pair of briefs
·
1 plastic zip-lock bag for soiled linen
·
6 reusable pads
·
2 pad supports
·
Instruction sheet for personal hygiene
and the care and reuse of pads
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