Friday, August 1, 2014

Maturation Project Part One


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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