A Club That Changes Lives
Launched in August 2023, the SHN club is designed to provide students with a safe space to discuss topics often surrounded by stigma. Under the guidance of trained club coordinators, students learn about:
- Understanding menstruation as a biological process, not a taboo
- Learning about the male and female reproductive systems and puberty
- Addressing misconceptions and cultural myths around menstruation
- Practicing good hygiene with access to safe water
- Hand-sewing reusable menstrual pads to promote sustainable menstrual hygiene
For Alinani, a schoolboy, this club has been an eye-opener..
“I have learnt so much from the club. I now know what menstruation is and that it is a biological process in women and not a taboo or a disease. Although I have never seen a woman menstruating, I have always heard that my classmates missed class because they were menstruating. I did not understand any of it, but after joining the club, I know there are special rooms that can be built in the school premises to help girls change their pads and wash themselves while at school to avoid being absent during menstruation. I also learnt that when a girl comes of age, she can become pregnant if she indulges in sexual activity with a boy… This is my favourite club. I am always excited to attend the activities because I am always learning something new.”
For schoolgirl Beauty, menstruation was a frightening and isolating experience until she joined the SHN club.
“Buying sanitary napkins has always been expensive for my parents; they couldn’t afford them. I did not have any idea what was happening to me, and I was afraid. My mother just told me that I have grown, I am now a woman, and I should wear a cloth to help during menstruation. I did not know what type of cloth to use and sometimes I used non-absorbent clothes, which left me unconfident and non-participative in class as I was in constant fear that I would stain myself.
Joining the SHN club exposed me to information about menstruation. I understood how my body works and why it works like that. I also learned how to hand-sew comfortable sanitary pads. Our teacher took time to repeatedly show us how to make them using absorbent and non-leaking materials and demonstrated how to use them. I am now using reusable sanitary pads, I am confident, happy, and not fearful. I even taught my mother how to sew one.”
With education, safe water, and access to sustainable menstrual products, students across Zambia and Mozambique no longer have to choose between their education and their menstrual health. By addressing misconceptions, taboos, and lack of resources, the SHN club is transforming lives one lesson at a time.
Menstrual hygiene is not a luxury, it is a right. Through initiatives like this, we are creating a world where every girl can manage her period with confidence, dignity, and knowledge and where boys learn to support them.
Let’s continue to support menstrual hygiene education and sustainable solutions for all.
