“The extremists are afraid of books and pens, the power of education frightens them. they are afraid of women.”
― Malala Yousafza
I remember when I was about seven years old, I began to notice the boys around me thought I was not capable of anything great. “You’re just a girl, you’re not as fast as me,” one boy said after he challenged me to a race. That was the wrong thing to say; he was busy talking while I was busy actually running. I finished the lap around the playground an embarrassing distance ahead of him. For the rest of the year I was nervous around him because I realized he was intimidated by me, yet he felt he needed to be superior to me. And that alone made me feel weaker than him.
This is only a small, insignificant story illustrating a much bigger problem. Women across the globe are taught from a young age they will be incapable for their entire life, and men are taught they can do anything to a woman as they please. When you add poverty into the mix, this is a crippling situation to be in.
Young women of South Africa face a mountain of problems; even their education is an uphill climb. A few South African guys I work with, Mzwandile and Sam, noticed this in their own hometowns and began asking why. Why is it that women here are less educated, have less job opportunities, and are extremely abused compared to many other countries? These huge, burdensome questions concentrate down to simple answers, such as this one.
Girls are taught to be ashamed of their womanhood. They are sat down at a young age and are explained to that one day they will begin their periods. Some are not told about this at all, so they are completely unprepared when the flow begins. Periods are painful and shameful. Hide the fact that you are on your period; no one must know that you are struggling. It is only your own burden to bear.
On top of this, when girls start their menstruation, they do not have access to needs that lessen the burden. A lot of girls don’t have the money to buy even the cheapest pads or tampons. Toilets at school and home are often unsanitary. Let’s not even imagine the idea of using pain relievers or heating pads. So, naturally, girls are often forced to stay home from school for up to four days a month. If this means they miss exams, they are faced with the consequence of having to repeat the same year of school. All because of something they cannot prevent from happening.
However, women are also taught from a young age to be resilient and not let daunting circumstances to deter them from their rights. Girls use many homemade methods to deal with the side effects of their periods so they can attend school. Yet if there were more discussion around menstruation, I believe girls would be more comfortable about discussing when they are on their periods so they don't miss out on opportunities.
Mzwandile and Sam have decided to step up as leaders of their communities, and are trying to change this uncomfortable stigma. They are going into local schools right before exams begin, and give teachers enough pads to distribute to the schoolgirls when needed. They also speak to both girls and boys about why they are distributing the pads; it is not just to provide free access. It is to let the girls know that their needs and struggles are being recognized.
Slowly but surely Mzwandile and Sam are sparking conversation among students, school administration, and community leaders. Boys are being taught to respect their sisters and mothers. Girls are being encouraged that if they struggle with their periods, to not hide it but to find someone who can help them. They are being empowered not to fall into victimhood, but to fight past their circumstances into their potential.
People are beginning to question cultural, social, and political norms. Why is the government paying for condoms and not sanitary pads? Not only that, why do they charge extra taxes on period products? Why are we disgusted with and so uneducated about something which literally affects every single female on the planet? Why are we taught to hate our bodies? Why are we waiting for someone else to change that for us? What are we personally going to do to seek and see change?
I’ve gotten to sit and watch this revolution unfold. I’ve asked a few of you for your support. Thank you for doing that. Over the past two weeks we’ve gotten to distribute pads to two schools, over 300 packages of them, to be exact. I’ve heard what these two guys have said to their children, and it is truly empowering.
This is only a small, insignificant story illustrating a much bigger problem. Women across the globe are taught from a young age they will be incapable for their entire life, and men are taught they can do anything to a woman as they please. When you add poverty into the mix, this is a crippling situation to be in.
Young women of South Africa face a mountain of problems; even their education is an uphill climb. A few South African guys I work with, Mzwandile and Sam, noticed this in their own hometowns and began asking why. Why is it that women here are less educated, have less job opportunities, and are extremely abused compared to many other countries? These huge, burdensome questions concentrate down to simple answers, such as this one.
Girls are taught to be ashamed of their womanhood. They are sat down at a young age and are explained to that one day they will begin their periods. Some are not told about this at all, so they are completely unprepared when the flow begins. Periods are painful and shameful. Hide the fact that you are on your period; no one must know that you are struggling. It is only your own burden to bear.
On top of this, when girls start their menstruation, they do not have access to needs that lessen the burden. A lot of girls don’t have the money to buy even the cheapest pads or tampons. Toilets at school and home are often unsanitary. Let’s not even imagine the idea of using pain relievers or heating pads. So, naturally, girls are often forced to stay home from school for up to four days a month. If this means they miss exams, they are faced with the consequence of having to repeat the same year of school. All because of something they cannot prevent from happening.
However, women are also taught from a young age to be resilient and not let daunting circumstances to deter them from their rights. Girls use many homemade methods to deal with the side effects of their periods so they can attend school. Yet if there were more discussion around menstruation, I believe girls would be more comfortable about discussing when they are on their periods so they don't miss out on opportunities.
Mzwandile and Sam have decided to step up as leaders of their communities, and are trying to change this uncomfortable stigma. They are going into local schools right before exams begin, and give teachers enough pads to distribute to the schoolgirls when needed. They also speak to both girls and boys about why they are distributing the pads; it is not just to provide free access. It is to let the girls know that their needs and struggles are being recognized.
Slowly but surely Mzwandile and Sam are sparking conversation among students, school administration, and community leaders. Boys are being taught to respect their sisters and mothers. Girls are being encouraged that if they struggle with their periods, to not hide it but to find someone who can help them. They are being empowered not to fall into victimhood, but to fight past their circumstances into their potential.
People are beginning to question cultural, social, and political norms. Why is the government paying for condoms and not sanitary pads? Not only that, why do they charge extra taxes on period products? Why are we disgusted with and so uneducated about something which literally affects every single female on the planet? Why are we taught to hate our bodies? Why are we waiting for someone else to change that for us? What are we personally going to do to seek and see change?
I’ve gotten to sit and watch this revolution unfold. I’ve asked a few of you for your support. Thank you for doing that. Over the past two weeks we’ve gotten to distribute pads to two schools, over 300 packages of them, to be exact. I’ve heard what these two guys have said to their children, and it is truly empowering.