General Report
Project Name: Women and girls, sustainable engagement and meaningful participation in their communities.
Objectives of the project.
The project aims to empower women and girls in refugee and host communities by providing access to menstrual hygiene education, which will contribute to their meaningful community participation.
Different viable skill training and start-up kits support sustained livelihoods and meaningful participation in their communities.
Different key activities being run include
- General sensitization in the community about different things to know about MHM.
- Train trainers in schools on menstrual hygiene management (MHM) practices.
- Creation of MHM clubs in schools and communities.
- Capacity building in the area of shoe and bag making, hairdressing and barbering saloon, and ice cream production.
- Quarterly distribution of sanitary pads, pants, shaving Bic, and tablet soaps.
Furthermore, we involve community leaders and stakeholders in the activities through training sessions and workshops, were by they were educated on MHM so as to break the social norms and taboos surrounding menstruation.
The most recent highlights about this program is that this project started since February 2024, where the intended number of persons to be reached was 200 for MHM which comprises of 120 school girls and 80 young women of reproductive age in the refugee and host community, while for the capacity building targeted number of persons to be reached were 75. Each capacity building has 25 persons but as the project progresses the number of person reached so far is 300.
The MHM clubs created in the different schools and refugee and host community is yielding a good result in the sense that more young girls now feel free to express themselves without the fear of been seen as unclean and the feeling of been less of a human because of a natural body occurrence. The community leaders and stakeholder also keep a check on the progress of a child so that menstruation does not effect their performance in school.
While the capacity building aspect has different activities in all three department ranging from shoes and bags making, where shoes and bags of different materials and sizes are made ranging from leather materials to Ankara materials to give it that African vibes. Hairdressing and barbering saloon this place has the braiding, coloring of hair, hair cuts and nail polishing section. Even rendering home services . Ice cream production is on full force due to hot weather in this place so the demand of this product is high.
it is important to note that the specific best practices may vary based on the cultural context and available resources in different refugee settlements and host communities. Hence, it is essential to involve local stakeholders, listen to the communities needs and preferences and adapt interventions accordingly.
- Providing comprehensive education and information about menstrual hygiene management to both refugee women and girls and the host community is crucial. This can include information on proper hygiene practices, menstrual cycle awareness and debunking common myths and misconceptions.
- Ensuring that adequate and affordable menstrual products such as sanitary pads are available to women and girls in the refugee settlement and their host communities. This involve providing free supplies through distribution program.
- Engaging with the local community including men and boys to foster a supportive environment for menstrual hygiene management. This involves challenging social norms and cultural taboo surrounding menstruation through awareness campaigns, group discussions and involving community leader and influencers.
- Establishing of MHM clubs and focus group discussion and providing counseling services can provide a safe space for women and girls to discuss menstrual issues, seek advice, and address any concerns or challenges they may face. This can also help reduce menstrual stigma and support overall emotional well-being.
- Conducting regular monitoring and evaluation of menstrual hygiene management activities to ensure their effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. This can help inform decision- making, resource allocation and tailor interventions to address specific needs and challenges.
