This Wednesday, when you give $100+ (Ug. Shs. 370,000+) to support CPAR Uganda, GlobalGiving will match your generosity up to 50 percent for the July Bonus Day!

Your donation will make a huge difference to ensure women in Uganda menstruate with dignity and that hazardous used menstrual material stops ending up in landfills in Entebbe – a public health and environment degradation concern.

We would love you to join on 12th July as we come together to have a big impact.

“A lot of awareness is needed on menstrual hygiene but also on the impact on the environment of disposal of reusable pads. Now even baby diapers can be produced fully degradable. But there is still a long way to go to change the market.”

German development expert working in East Africa

The German development expert commented so in reaction to our CPAR Uganda menstrual hygiene campaign video in which we highlight the ‘new’ public health and environmental challenges associated with inappropriate disposal of single use super absorbent pads that are made of 90 percent plastic.

We agree with him. The conversation needs to be had on the the pros and cons of reusable pads; and the pros and cons of  disposable pads. That is why CPAR Uganda’s proposed intervention is to conduct empirical research on current menstrual hygiene practices in Uganda.

This is in order to establish the extent to which menstrual hygiene practices have an impact on human health and on the environment. And to use the empirical research findings to propose solutions on what needs to be done to encourage the positive practices and to discourage the negative practices.

Case in point, whereas, reusable pads are mostly promoted as the solution to ending period poverty, especially in low money-income societies, hygiene concerns among users of reusable pads are cropping up that necessitate a re-examination of that narrative. 

Take for instance the concerns of Karimojong women regarding their experiences using reusable pads:

“They are environmentally the good option but I have reservations towards distribution of these reusable pads to vulnerable groups, especially those that don’t have easy access to water, soap, etc. They are likely to suffer infections that are poor hygiene related.

They are okay, but in terms of hygiene no, no. Some of the girls don’t wash these reusable pads very well and end up getting infections instead. I am thinking about disinfection mostly. That area (vagina) can easily catch infections. And medication to treat such infections is another cost all together.”

Views of Karimojong women shared in their WhatsApp Group chat

In reaction to the concerns of the Karimojong women, a baffled Ugandan legislator commented:

“In your view should we encourage reusable pads? May be we let them (Karimojong women) continue with the traditional method of sitting on the ground for the three days of periods?”

Female Member of the Parliament of Uganda

No, we, at CPAR Uganda,  don’t think so. The point is, as we promote new innovations we have to be cognizant of the other dimensions that crop up. And that is the reason we found the response from Wabibi Pads, makers of reusable pads, especially encouraging and educative of how innovators are open to the idea, for example, of making reusable pads out of biodegradable material. 

Wabibi Pads’ openness to discuss the pros and cons of the different material currently used by makers of reusable pads is refreshing. They shared:

“There are other brands of reusable pads that are using fleece, which is very easy to wash, but isn’t so comfortable in terms of material choice.  Fleece tends to warm up, so if one has skin irritations, then fleece wouldn’t be the best choice.”

Representative of Wabibi Pads through Karimojong Women’s WhatsApp Group chat

“If a woman or girl does not frequently change and refresh menstruation pads during her menstruation, she can create a good environment for viruses such as candida to thrive – that heat generated by the long stay of pads at our female genitals.”

Nurse Dorothy during a conversation on cancer with the Rotary Club of Entebbe.

Certainly, therefore, we must concern ourselves with the use of fleece in reusable pads, for it can potentially “create a good environment for viruses” to thrive and infect menstruating women, causing them to get a plethora of diseases.

Menstruation is the natural, normal monthly discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of women’s uterus through their vaginas; and it is a part of the reproductive system.

We, women and men alike,  need to find solutions in which there is a mix of available menstruation products that don’t:

• Harm the health of menstruating women.
• Become a public health concern.
• Harm the environment.

Together we can and should do this. And so we ask you:

• Join us in amplifying our voice on the need for our proposed intervention.
• Help us in our fundraising drive. Share this post to others encouraging them to donate.
• Please make a donation.

Click here to learn more about our proposed intervention, our Menstrual Hygiene Campaign, and to make a donation. THANK YOU!

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