Health Development Initiative (HDI) and its partners, ahead of International Menstrual Hygiene day, donated reusable sanitary pads in support to women and girls of the Cyaruzinge community of potters in Gasabo district.

As part of its campaign to end period poverty and observing Menstrual Hygiene Day, Health Development Initiative is organising social media campaigns, TV and Radio Talkshows, to raise awareness on period poverty, that highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management, and advocate for tax-free pads in Rwanda.

Lack of access to sanitary products due to financial constraints, can be caused by a wide range of life events that negatively impact on a girl or woman's ability to access sanitary products to manage a most intimate and regular occurrence in her life. Studies show that more than four in five teens miss class due to the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products.

To observe menstrual hygiene month, Health Development Initiative (HDI) donated menstrual products that were pledged by Moshions in Celebration of International Women’s Day to ease period poverty among vulnerable young women and girls.

Moshions, a fashion brand, marked the cause with a 20% discount on women's wear pieces, and a contribution of 10% from all revenues on 8 March 2021.

Before the current pandemic crisis, millions of women and girls were already struggling to meet their menstrual needs, with an internalized shame often linked to this natural process.

Covid-19 has highlighted, and even exacerbated, challenges related to menstruation.

"We believe that each pad counts and can keep girls from skipping school because of their period,” The Executive Director for HDI, Dr. Aflodis Kagaba.

Dr. Kagaba acknowledged the power of collective efforts towards solving social issues and appreciates Moshions for their significant contribution to overlooked health issues, like menstrual products.

"Period poverty is a global issue affecting vulnerable women and girls who don't have access to safe, affordable period supplies. Working with Moshions on promoting menstrual health will contribute to reduction of period poverty in the lives of adolescent girls who are unable to afford such necessities,” he noted.

The collaboration highlighted the fashion brand’s values of inclusion and empowerment, by providing funds for HDI’s pursuit of social welfare and gender equality.

Both partners praised the immense role of women in national development, and pledged their commitment to tackle challenges young women face along the way.

The Business Manager of Moshions, Dany Rugamba, commended the collaboration and underlined the brand’s passion for socially impactful projects.

"We are proud to join the movement to erase period poverty during these difficult times. HDI has remarkably transformed access to health for the most vulnerable in Rwanda, especially women. We are confident that our financial donation to the organisation will advance the mission further.” Rugamba said.

Claudine Uwimbabazi, a mother of four from the community of potters of Cyaruzinge cell in Gasabo district said that before getting sanitary pad support from Health Development Initiative (HDI) and its partners, she and her daughter were using old pieces of Kitenge Cloth in place of sanitary pads, as their household income is too low to afford proper sanitary pads.

"I am happy with the way HDI and its partners helped us to improve menstrual hygiene and sexual and reproductive health education. We appreciate the support because in most cases, when we had our monthly periods, we would use old pieces of cloth as our financial capacity is too low to afford sanitary pads or pieces of new Kitenge cloth,” she said.

This community of potters is a historically marginalized population that faces extreme poverty, food insecurity, discrimination, and diseases from poor hygiene.

With the support, Uwimbabazi and other vulnerable women and young girls in the community are hopeful that hygiene management is going to improve.

The beneficiary is among many other women who have received a donation of sanitary pads from HDI and its partners during menstrual hygiene month.

Since 2008, HDI has used a multi-faceted approach to empower community members with the knowledge and skills to become agents in improving their lives. In partnership with Moshions (a fashion brand), and PSA, HDI provided over 200 sanitary pads and 80 reusable sanitary towels to a group of women and young girls in Cyaruzinge village in a bid to fight period poverty. This event included discussions on family planning, menstrual hygiene management and contraception use that was facilitated by Annonciata Nyirakarehe, a nurse counselor at HDI.

Nyirakarehe reminded the beneficiaries that even if the cloth pads may be a sustainable sanitary option, they must be hygienically washed and dried in the sunlight. Because sunlight is a natural steriliser and drying the cloth pads on sunlight sterilises them for future use. She also recommended them to store these cloth pads in a clean dry place for reuse.

The event was also joined by HDI's Youth Ambassador Sandrine Umutoniwase, Miss talent 2021, who also talked to the women and emphasized the need to maintain good hygiene during menstruation.

"Period poverty is a global issue affecting women and girls around the world, because of lack of clean water and menstrual products. Being part of this initiative that contributes to the access of hygienic sanitary products is such an honour for me. Women and girls of Cyaruzinge were happy to hear about tips on maintaining good hygiene. I hope many other corporate companies could include many CSR activities that alleviate the lives of vulnerable people, especially vulnerable women and girls." She said.

In December, 2019, Rwanda announced it was scrapping Value Added Tax (VAT) on sanitary pads to make them more affordable. This was a great win to everyone facing financial constraints in affording sanitary pads, however, reports indicate that up to now there has not been an exemption of the 18% value added tax on the pads. A pack of ten pads currently goes for around 1,000 Rwandan Francs.

Dr. Kagaba called on the government to intervene to ensure that VAT on pads is removed.

"This will not only help girls from skipping school because of lack of sanitary pads but will also put Rwanda on the right direction in ending period poverty. We need the government to revisit this decision and look at the loopholes, since there is good intention behind the exemption of value-added tax (VAT) from sanitary pads.