Inclusive health care facilities are rarely accessible for people with disabilities (PWD) in Zimbabwe. There is a lack of access to inclusive health services and education: a problem faced frequently by the deaf community. Consequently, girls grow up with negligible knowledge of their bodies, their menstrual cycles, and safe menstrual practices.
Deaf girls in particular have faced estrangement from their bodies, their menstrual cycles, and their community. The communication barriers they face have restricted their access to health and menstrual education. Inaccessibility to affordable sanitary products exacerbates the situation further. There is a limit to the available mainstream information Deaf girls have about their menstrual cycles and safe sanitary care.
“One of the biggest frustrations that adolescent girls and young women with disabilities have is the lack of accurate information on menstrual health management” – Ms. Nezi-Madzinga, UNFPA 2019.
The ripple effect of this problem means that Deaf girls do not know about hygienic methods of handling their periods. They don’t go to school as much because they prefer to stay away during the days they have their period to avoid stigma and discrimination. Basic, hygienic sanitary products are out of their reach as well which means they use rags and unsafe materials instead. This has caused negative associations with their periods and the Deaf girls feel ashamed, anxious, and dreadful, instead of feeling empowered to embrace their womanhood.
“Managing discomforts, pain, access to safe sanitary materials and stigma associated with menstruation were commonly referred issues.” – The Zimbabwe Formative Research on Menstrual Hygiene Management Final Report, UNICEF 2019.
What are we doing about this?
Nzeve Deaf Center and Sanitary Aid Zimbabwe (SAZ) initiated a project in Manicaland that focuses on increasing menstrual health education. The project also aims to improve hygiene and empower Deaf women to become mentors and educators for their fellows. It stemmed from Nzeve’s Strategic Pillar: Health and Wellness, which aims to make healthcare more accessible to PWD.
Five Deaf girls were selected from Nzeve to be trained on how to design and make reusable sanitary pads. The training equipped the girls to make the pads and to teach others to make the pads. It also encouraged their out-of-the-box thinking in refining their designs and techniques. The project aims were sustainable too: the girls were encouraged to share their knowledge with others and to promote community and improve menstrual health awareness.
The Project’s Impacts
The girls experienced a liberation from the stigma previously experienced. Now they have access to hygienic sanitary products and know about their bodies, the girls have seen a shift in how they feel about their periods:
“I am very happy because now I have no stress in buying sanitary pads each month.” – Tadiwa, a participant in the project.
Not only are there positive health implications, but the girls have more autonomy over their live. They can go to school or work confidently, and limitlessly. They have a strong community of like-minded people around them, supporting them. This empowerment was prevalent during the final stages of the project. This was evident in the girls’ problem solving skills. They took initiative to resolve issues they came across. For example, one of the girls initiated a new way to sew the pads when there were sewing machines shortages.
“The girls quickly mastered the skill and produced excellent quality pads, this shows promise for future production.” – Karina Martin, Executive Director at Nzeve Deaf Center.
At the end of the project, the girls made a total of 20 hand-sewn pads and 8 machine sewn pads. These will be distributed to Deaf women and girls across the province. The girls will also use the skills they learned to teach others to make reusable pads. As the girls share their knowledge on menstrual health and pad making, other Deaf women will be empowered. This will create open discussions about menstrual health and do away with stigma surrounding periods.
“This initiative not only provides immediate relief but also empowers these girls with valuable skills that can benefit their communities in the long term.” – Karina Martin, Executive Director at Nzeve Deaf Center.
Hope For The Future
This project has been impactful for many women and girls in the Deaf community. However, Nzeve still faces funding challenges to source safe materials and sewing equipment for the participants. Through the GlobalGiving Organisation, Nzeve is open to donations to ensure the continuation of the project throughout the province. These donations will help empower and educate more deaf girls and women on safe menstrual practices.
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