Claudine Mpawenimana 15, is a primary five student in Bubaki Primary School, Karongi District. She finds it difficult to get sanitary pads when it’s that time of the month for her.Back home, her mother can only get her a piece of cloth whenever she is in her periods, which is a bit discomforting for her and sometimes not so effective as it can leak whenever she’s having a heavy flow.“Using a piece of cloth isn’t only discomforting but also feels unhygienic as it sometimes gets filled up and I just have to wear it all day then get home and wash it. I would wish to have a packet of pads, so, I can change whenever need arises,” she said.Jane Nigega, 14 years old is also another student who says she is a bit shy to ask her parents for sanitary pads but she is very certain that her parents can’t afford them anyway.She too uses a piece of cloth whenever she’s in her periods and finds it discomforting and disruptive while at school. “I feel like the cloth isn’t so effective so there might be stains on my uniform and students might laugh at me. I love using pads but I don’t get them always when I need them,” she says.Delfina Uwamahoro, is a mother from Karongi District who also says pads are very expensive and wishes they could be made affordable to everyone and given out free in rural schools where the most vulnerable girls study.In Rwanda, sanitary pads range from Rwf 600 to Rwf1500 a packet, depending on where you buy them from.
