In Juba County, Central Equatorial State, South Sudan, many girls face difficulties that prevent them from going to school or participating in child-friendly spaces regularly due to the barriers and stigmas they face during the menstrual cycles. According to the World Bank Group report 2022, 57 percent of adolescent girls stay at home during menstruation because of the lack of private changing rooms in school.
A matron at a primary school in Munuki Payam says that she could only advise girls who tell her they have started their periods to go home. Such could distract them during tests and exams, affecting their overall performance. She mentioned, “I could only give basic information about menstrual cycles to the girls who come to me.” Another school official said that, on average, 5 to 10 out of 900 girls miss class because they are scared of boys.
But the awareness sessions on menstrual hygiene management in the girls, addressing cultural and traditional norms, and the distribution of hygiene kits by Joining Forces have helped adolescent girls within these schools and in the communities.
This was a turning point for most of the girls and women of reproductive ages when the Joining Forces for Food Security and Child Protection in Emergencies project started to support them in overcoming the barriers they face. World Vision distributed hygiene kits to 1,800 vulnerable adolescent schoolgirls, including vulnerable women of reproductive age, to enable them to attend classes with dignity.
The kits are part of a larger support provided by the JF-FS & CPiE project in South Sudan. In Munuki Payam, learners received 300 dignity kits; Mangalla Payam received 600; Tambura Town Payam received 450; and Source Yubu Payam received 450, respectively.
The aim for the distribution of the dignity kits to girls and women of reproductive age was to enhance their well-being and maintain their sense of self-esteem and confidence during stressful times.
The JF-FS & CPiE project is a multicounty project bringing together the six largest child rights organisations in Germany to improve the protection of vulnerable children and adolescents living in refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) settings and hosts.
In South Sudan, JF-CPiE is implemented by World Vision in Munuki and Mangalla Payams and Tambura and Source Yubu Payams, while Save the Children implements the project in Walgak, Aboko and Bol Counties in Jonglei State.
Many girls promised to attend school more regularly due to having access to sanitary products, and some expressed relief at no longer needing to use cloth for menstrual hygiene. Lucy , a 15-year-old girl in primary seven in Munuki, dreams of becoming a broadcast journalist. She says the dignity kit will help her attend school every day with confidence.
“Before Joining Forces came, my mother struggled to buy sanitary pads and pay for my school fees and materials. But now, I will go to class during my period without fear,” Lucy shared. She also expressed her gratitude for receiving a torch in her kit, saying, “My mother cannot afford to pay for the electricity bill at home. She also doesn’t have money to buy a small solar panel so I can study at night. I am excited to have this torch in the dignity kit. It will help me to read in the night.”
Lucy feels her dream of being a television news anchor is within reach. Another girl, Wilma, 15 years old, wants to be a teller in the bank. She is currently in eighth grade and excellent at mathematics. Wilma explains the struggles many girls face in her community. “Girls without parents or those living with relatives find it difficult to go to school during their periods because they cannot buy pads.”
Wilma also adds that “It’s hard for us who stay with guardians to find the basic hygiene items we need to stay clean. This month, my aunty will not struggle to buy for me pads, soap, underwear, or lotion. I am excited to receive this bag from Joining Forces.”
Wandu, a school officer, highlights the importance of dignity kits for the performance and retention of girls in school. “This support comes at the right time. Every month, 10 to 15 girls miss classes because of menstrual periods,” he noted. “The school does not have a budget to help with this. When a girl tells us she needs help, we often have to send her home.”
Wandu believes the dignity kits will give more vulnerable girls the confidence and control they need to manage their hygiene. “This will encourage more girls to stay in school and continue their studies. I appeal to Joining Forces to keep supporting us with these kits,” he added.
Not her real name
This publication was produced with the financial support of the German Humanitarian Assistance
Its contents are the sole responsibility of Joining Forces and do not necessarily reflect the views of the German Humanitarian Assistance.