As part of its health, nutrition, and WASH activity implementation, the USAID-funded Victory Against Malnutrition Plus (ViMPlus) Activity has recently began working with groups of young Burkinabes, referred to as youth clubs, which are led by youth club mentors. Through these youth clubs, ViMPlus intends to build adolescents’ and youth’s life skills and address their most critical needs and challenges.
ViMPlus’s WASH study, carried out during the activity’s first year, revealed that hygienic management of menstruation is a key challenge for many Burkinabe women and girls. For instance, the study uncovered that many females in the Pissila, Tougouri, and Yalgo communes do not have access to menstrual pads, either homemade or purchased. In response to this challenge, ViMPlus has expanded its youth club trainings to include educating youth on the hygienic management of menstruation.
In August, the ViMPlus team conducted one of such trainings for youth club mentors in eight different villages in the Tougouri commune. In this training, ViMPlus staff first introduced the youth club mentors, both male and female, to the concept of hygienic management of menstruation, and then taught them how to make their own reusable menstrual pads.
First, a pattern must be traced from a template.
Then, the fabric is cut.
Finally, the fabric is sewn together.
The finished product is a simple, cheap, reusable, and accessible menstrual pad.
Following this training, mentors will share this information with their youth clubs. Going forward, ViMPlus will continue to work with youth clubs to train adolescents on important health, nutrition, and WASH issues so they can live better and healthier lives.
