Why teens? Why period poverty?

Many global reports, journalist, human right activists and Non-government organizations both local and international acknowledge the existence of period poverty and demonstrate the adverse effects of this silence pandemic which is not limited to culture, society, geographical location, region and as a matter of fact sex of an individual. Most teens and women globally are facing high levels of period poverty and are often ostracized by the society while they face and battle gender equity and on the other hand fight for their rights as women.

Girls and women in most rural areas of Uganda are not spared and face the same or many worse challenges of having nothing to use during that time of the month and many have no idea when/why and what menstruation is and are usually shocked when it happens. Uganda has significantly high poverty rates and the majority of its population live in rural areas fighting every day to meet the basic needs of life and definitely have to make the hard decision about whether to buy food or menstrual products when it’s that time of the month, endure and manage through the many period taboos and myths leaving no room to cater for proper menstrual management nor afford menstruation products.

The period poverty pandemic is lowly eating social lives and robbing young girls of their futures as they get to miss school monthly, highly vulnerable to abuse and stigma, lack proper sanitary products, face fear, embarrassment thus effecting their education, health, dignity.
On the other hand, a looming crisis is on the loose, but nobody seems to notice or perhaps is taken lightly, yet it’s affecting teens, as girls battle menstruation and so many several more changes their counterparts are also engaged with different body changes they completely have no idea about.

Fact is teens (Both girls and boy) are affected by puberty, the good news is puberty is not a problem to be solved but rather the problem lies in the lack of education about it. With the lack of education and knowledge this delicate pivotal phase of life may come unprepared for, teens are left confused and unsupported which in turn affects their education, self-esteem and confidence.

It’s during the puberty stage that a teen’s mind is developed, more curious in that they start to form or have their own analysis, beliefs, opinions and say about a variety of topics and if not well guided their perception can be corrupted at a tender age.