By Liapeng Raliengoane
LERIBE – In celebration of Menstrual Hygiene Day, World Vision Lesotho handed over 400 dignity kits to St. Philips High School girls at Ha Motšoane in the Kota area, Leribe yesterday.
The handover was witnessed by Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso.
Speaking at the event, World Vision Lesotho National Director James Nkemba Chifwelu said the purpose of the event was to commemorate Menstrual Hygiene day and World Vision saw it fit to support young girls with their menstrual hygiene needs.
Chifwelu also revealed that World Vision has been playing a huge role in water, sanitation and hygiene and continues to break the culture of silence. He said menstrual hygiene affects some students as they sometimes miss school when they are on their periods due to lack sanitary supplies. He indicated that World Vision is committed to supporting menstrual hygiene and has so far built 26 water points in effort to promote good health. He furthermore thanked Her Majesty for unwavering support and for gracing the event, bearing in mind her busy schedule.
Among other issues tabled by students: they said lack of menstrual supplies leads them into missing school sometimes, getting into early marriage and teenage pregnancy. They also urged for free sanitary pads supplies at public toilets and other public areas just as condoms are, yet sex is a choice and menstruation a natural encounter.
St. Philips High School Principal ‘Mampoi Hlasoa pointed out that the major challenges they are facing at school include lack of running water and sanitary napkins. She also urged for supply of free sanitary towels at public toilets. Hlasoa expressed gratitude to Her Majesty the Queen, World Vision and everyone who made the event a success.
On behalf of the United Nations International Chilren’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Country Representative (Anurita Bains), Bernard Keraita indicated that UNICEF continues to work with the Government of Lesotho and other stakeholders to increase access to accurate, timely, age-appropriate information on menstruation, effective, safe and affordable menstrual materials including sanitary pads and supportive facilities and services including water, sanitation and hygiene services for washing the body and hands, changing menstrual materials and cleaning or disposing of used materials.
Keraita disclosed that in the past year alone, UNICEF restored water supply to 70 schools, benefitting over 14 000 learners. He said they have developed National Guidelines for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in schools, which have a strong component on disability and menstrual hygiene and have initiated construction of model inclusive toilet blocks in the country, which have a toilet cubicle for learners with disability and a menstrual hygiene management room in the girls toilet block.
“However, a lot still needs to be done. We have over 700 schools which have no access to adequate water supply, even many more do not have basic sanitation facilities. Many of the girls’ toilet blocks lack privacy, some have no doors at all and many do not have rooms where girls can change during their time of menstruation,” he disclosed.
Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso applauded and expressed gratitude to World Vision for protecting and supporting menstrual hygiene of a girl child. She indicated that the last time she was doing the same work with World Vision was in 2017 right at the same area of Kota and then COVID -19 restricted movements, saying the day marked the first meeting after the pandemic’s restrictions.
Her Majesty said she was informed that during COVID-19 restrictions, World Vision supported over 700 girls with sanitary supplies and they also improved water supplies. She said Lesotho is a member country of the United Nations thus working towards fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030 Agenda. She also urged for free supplies of sanitary towels in public toilets and public spaces.
Menstrual Hygiene Day is an annual awareness day on May 28. It was earmarked to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management at a global level. This year’s theme is: Making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030.