As the world prepares to mark
the global
Menstrual Hygiene Day tomorrow, Kenya is still grappling with the fact that many teenage girls miss approximately six learning weeks per year due to menses. The day which was marked
worldwide
for the first time last year, is aimed at helping to break the silence around menstrual hygiene management. In Kenya many
non governmental organisations
are working to improve the situation by producing and distributing traditional and alternative feminine hygiene products
as opposed to the conventional sanitary towels.
Swedish nationals
Camilla Wirseen and Richard Ulfvengren,
run such an organisation, The Cup.
Camilla first came to Kenya in 2007 as
the
co-founder of Peepoo which has been working in slums all over the world
implementing
the Peepoo sanitation solution. It was while she was doing this project in Kibera, that she also became aware other issues the community was struggling with.
“I first heard about girls selling themselves to raise money for pads in 2012 through a lady from Voice of America who had done a story
about
the girls in Mathare. It really disturbed me and asked the girls I worked with whether the situation in Kibera was the same. They confirmed it
saying it’s something they did on a monthly basis. The girls we spoke to simply told us, ‘it’s just life’,” said Camilla. Those who weren’t selling themselves, relied on
sanitary towel
donations, cotton wool,
pieces of
cloth, newspapers and tissue during their periods.
It was here that Camilla thought of the menstrual cup. “It has been around since the 1930s. It is a reusable cup worn internally just like a tampon except it collects menstrual flow instead of absorbing it,” she says.
The cup forms a gentle seal with your vaginal walls and any flow is contained in the cup. It is then simply removed, emptied into the toilet, rinsed with water and then re-inserted.
“It is also eco-friendly because on average, a woman uses around 12,000 pads or tampons during her life, which take hundreds of years to break down in landfills. The cup allows you the freedom to play or go about your business without worrying about stains,” said Camilla.
It took her two years to set the wheels of The Cup project in motion during which she fund raised. “When I did my calculations, I estimated it would cost about Sh1500-Sh2500 to train a girl and provide her with a menstrual cup.”
Last year, Camilla teamed up with four young ladies who had been part of her sanitation project in Kibera. She trained them extensively in order to help her roll out the project. “My team;
Sandra Achieng, Sylvia Okere, Janet Alwanyi and Rael Nekesa
are all young women who grew up in Kibera. They have experienced the same challenges while growing up as the girls they train. This creates trust and an understanding bond and the girls see them as role models they can relate with.
“To start off, we approached a couple of schools we were already working with in the Peepoo project and ten of them agreed to let us work with their students,” said Camilla. The schools they currently work in are all in Kibera namely
Glory, Anwa , Makina Baptist, Siloam, St. John, Adventure
Pride, Zelyne, Soweto Baptist, Kibera Blessed and Calvary school.
Before the distribution of the menstrual cups, parents were invited to an information dissemination meeting where they gave their consent for their daughters’ participation.
“Some of the parents we spoke to were worried about the size of the cup because it looked too big. Others were concerned that it would break their daughters’ hymens thus they wouldn’t be virgins anymore. We were able to quell their fears by explaining how the cup works and the different sizes available as well,” shares Sandra Achieng, the project manager.
Training the girls to use the cup, is done for over two weeks and is divided into four sessions. The first session focuses on creating a relaxed atmosphere for the girls to be able to talk freely and discuss their period, problems, sex and also learn to accept and love their bodies. The trainers first divide the girls into smaller groups to make the interaction more intimate. Then they break the ice by sharing their personal stories and challenges. During the second part of the session, each girl is interviewed about her background, family, sexual history and how she manages her period. These interviews are kept in a directory as reference for possible future contacts to use for the cup mentorship programme. Throughout the sessions, the girls are continually invited to write down questions anonymously and put them in a question box, which are then tackled during the following sessions.
The second session tackles matters on sex education. It covers general topics on becoming an adolescent, sex, love, menstruation, how to use condoms, other contraceptives, infections, sexually transmitted diseases, teen age pregnancies, illegal abortions and prostitution.
The menstrual cap and practical training on how to use it, is only introduced in the third session. Only girls who have started their period are given a cup. “We get questions about whether it can come off when they are using the toilet but for most girls, the biggest challenge is how to insert the cup properly,” says trainer
Janet Alwanyi.
The fourth and last session works to empower and build the girls’ self-confidence. They are trained on their rights as humans, women and citizens of their country.
“We have a follow-up sessions
three weeks after the main training to find out what challenges or triumphs they have had when using the cup. As a team, we try to unite the girls into a strong group that can support each other. We talk to them about their future and
how to maximise their
potential.” adds Achieng.
Fourteen year-old Faith Mueni from Glory Primary School, Kibera, is one of the beneficiaries of the project and she says the menstrual cap changed her life, “At first when I got the cup I was afraid and thought of giving it to another person. My mother advised me to keep it and try it when my period came. After my first try last year, I am now used to it. When I insert it when I'm not in a hurry, it is very comfortable, but when I insert in a hurry, it itches a little. However, it’s still better than pads. I don’t have to make many trips to the toilet to change. Now I can sit through a lesson without having to miss what the teacher is saying because I am worried that I will stain my dress or that I will smell of blood.”
Faith’s mother Elizabeth Mbite Musyimi, says the first time she heard about the cup being given to her daughter, she said no. “I didn’t know what it was. Then I saw it and thought it was too big for her to use. However, the teachers and trainers were able to explain to me how it works. I trusted them because I know that the school would not expose my child to something harmful. For me, Faith having the cup has helped me cut the cost of buying her sanitary towels. She is also happy with it and so far she hasn’t experienced any side effects. I would encourage other parents to let their daughters try it,” said Musyimi.
For Camilla, her journey is just beginning. “The Cup
programme
has reached almost 600 girls since February
impacting them
with life skills training and a menstrual cup. It's going so well. The project has also helped us identify victims of rape and incest
whom
we link to
the
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
for assistance.”
She and her
co-founder
Ulfvengren are working to make the campaign global. “When I am done in Kibera, I want to work in Kisumu and we are also developing a plan to help marginalised nomad Maasai girls in the next coming years,
slowly
scaling
every region of the country.
After we
are done implementing in
Kenya, we are looking at India.”
Currently the Swedish foundation Giving Wings has given funding to assist 2000 girls to get a cup during 2015. To learn more about The Cup Campaign you can check.
TEXTBOX:
How to Use a Menstrual Cup
There are two kinds of menstrual cups which come in different sizes. The first is a soft, flexible cup that is worn internally, in the natural space under the cervix and behind the pubic bone where it conforms to your body. When inserted properly, it can't be felt. You can wear it for about 12 hours at a time, after which it is disposed and a new one is inserted. It is also the only feminine hygiene product that can be worn during sexual intercourse.
Other menstrual cups are bell-shaped and inserted internally to form a suction seal once inside the vagina. These are emptied, cleaned and re-inserted. The same one is used for each menstrual cycle.
Both types of menstrual cups are designed to collect your menstrual flow rather than absorb it. Just like the first time you used a tampon, it may take a few times inserting a menstrual cup to get it right.
Inserting and Removing the cup
Using the menstrual cup before you go to bed is a great time to try it for the first time. Wash your hands with soap and rinse the cup with water to remove any dust or dirt from your hands and the cup. The first time you use it, it should be boiled as well. Soap should never be used on a menstrual cup. It can cause yeast infections amongst other problems. You may want to wear a pantyliner or pad to protect yourself against leakage on your first try until you are comfortable placing it inside the vagina.
Step 1:
The easiest position to insert the cup is sitting on the toilet with your knees apart. Hold the cup so the bottom of the cup hangs down, and squeeze the opposite sides of the rim together.
Step 2:
Keeping the rim squeezed together, insert the cup completely into your vagina. When you are sitting, you vaginal canal is horizontal, sloping slightly downward. Use your finger to push the cup downward and back as far as it will go, and it will slide into place under the cervix and behind the pubic bone. When inserted properly, you shouldn't feel it.
If you can feel something in the vaginal canal, the cup is probably not placed far enough inside you. Remember, do not push the cup upward, like a tampon, as it will stop in front of the cervix and can cause leakage. If this happens, just pull cup out the reinsert it, pushing downward and back.
Step 3:
The easiest position to remove a cup is sitting on the toilet with your knees apart. Insert your finger into the vagina and feel your pubic bone—the rim of the cup will be just behind it. Hook your finger under the rim. If you have trouble hooking your finger, just bear or push down. Slowly pull the cup out of your body, keeping it horizontal and level.
Do not pull down like you would with a tampon string, or twist the cup, as this could lead to spillage. Simply pull slowly and steadily, place the used product inside the wrapper or wrap it in tissue and throw it away, and insert a new cup.
Inserting and removing the bell-shaped menstrual cups
Step 1: Sit or stand in a comfortable position. Pinch the sides of the cup together and then fold it in half again.
Step 2: Holding the folded sides, insert the cup into your vagina. Push it straight back (not up), and when you let go of the cup it should open. Squeeze your vaginal muscles, and twist the cup slightly while pulling on it gently to form a tight seal.
Step 3: To remove the cup, pull gently on the stem and pinch the base of the cup to release the seal. Pull down to remove. Empty the contents of the cup into the toilet, wash it with warm, soapy water, and reinsert.
Remember that it may take a while to get used to using a menstrual cup. Take your time. Menstrual cups have a learning curve of about three to four cycles and if eventually you find out it's not for you, that's fine.
-softcup.com
Pros of Menstrual Cups
Reusable menstrual cups are considered much more eco-friendly than pads and tampons because much less waste is produced over time.
Reusable menstrual cups are very cost-efficient as they can be used for up to 10 years.
Cups
require
much less frequent changing than pads and tampons.
Menstrual cups can be used while swimming.
The stem of the cup can be trimmed to suit your body.
Cups make it easy to track how much menstrual fluid is being expelled.
Some people find that menstrual cups reduce their period cramps.
Don’t have to worry about carrying spare pads and tampons with you.
Downsides
Menstrual cups usually cost $20 (Sh1800) or more, which is a lot to
pay
for something you might not like.
In rare cases IUDs can be dislodged when removing menstrual cups - for this reason people using IUDs are advised to consult a gynaecologist before using menstrual cups.
It is important to keep reusable menstrual cups clean, which can be difficult in public bathrooms.
Menstrual cups must be removed before sex.
Some people may find inserting or removing menstrual cups difficult.
Some people find menstrual cups uncomfortable.
Menstrual cups may not be suitable for people with pelvic-organ prolapse.
Younger people may have more difficulty with insertion.
Menstrual cups do NOT offer any protection against pregnancy or STIs.
-Journal of Women’s Health