MURAMVYA June 1st (ABP) – Aid consisting of dignity kits consisting of sanitary napkins for menstruating women and girls, soaps as well as 500 kg of beans, was distributed on Saturday May 28, 2020 to 84 women and 286 girls from the Batwa community living in a site located in the Kigano sub-village, Kigereka village in Bukeye commune, Muramvya province (Centre-West).
The aid was given by the association Together for peace, Environment and Development (TED) via its Kigeme project with the support of volunteers from the Red Cross, Muramvya branch for the manufacture of sanitary napkins, and the Minister in charge of solidarity and gender who offered the 500 kg of beans, according to Fabrice Muhoza, legal representative of the TED association.
The latter said that this activity of distribution of dignity kits and food and laundry soaps was linked to the celebration of the day of May 28 of each year dedicated to menstruation. The girls who received sanitary napkins were first trained on how to make them themselves by hand with the means available in their households, a check by ABP revealed.
These are pieces of fabric, scissors and sewing thread for hygiene as donated as capital in small buckets by the TED association during the celebration of the world Day dedicated to menstruation.
The beneficiary women and girls were made aware of menstrual hygiene. They were informed that menstruation is a gift from God and a source of pride for the dignity of women. When asked whether there are any health consequences for users of these washable, hand-sewn towels, the legal representative of the TED association indicates that the sanitary napkins they make, respect the standards studied with the appropriate techniques. So, don’t we fear anything for hygiene and health but rather it will improve hygiene during menstruation, Mr. Muhoza appreciated.
He pointed out that the testimonies of the first beneficiaries of that type of dignity kits at the level of the prison and the hospital of Muramvya point out the importance of that material which they themselves can acquire and use for more than a year.
The leader of the association Together for peace, Environment and Development took the opportunity to commend the sponsor of the Minister responsible for solidarity and gender, Mrs. Imelda Sabushimike, who granted the 500 kg of beans distributed to 84 families in relation to the world Day dedicated to menstrual hygiene.
BN, 5th year student at Kavumu basic school, aged 14, as well as the two other young ladies respectively CD and ND, are the beneficiaries of the aid. They appreciate it very positively because they were in full shortage of beans and need dignity kits other than the expensive, monthly purchased ones.
It is worth noting that the legal representative of the association Together for peace, Environment and Development intends to expand the Kigeme project to six other provinces within three years in order to be able to train and raise awareness among young women and girls of menstruation age on the hygiene of their genital organs without forgetting to provide them with washable and inexpensive towels.
We intend to reach 9000 beneficiaries in three years, Fabrice Muhoza concluded.