May is Women’s Health Care Month and aims to encourage women from all walks of life to focus on their physical and mental health. May 28th is specifically known as Menstrual Hygiene Day. It highlights the importance of menstrual care and raises awareness about issues faced by those who do not have access to sanitary products. In line with this, HAPI-Alabang, and HAPI Junior Ambassador Angie Driskell, conducted an event called Empo-WOMEN-t.
The goal of this project was to focus on mothers of adolescent girls, as well as young women, of Purok 7C, Ilaya, Alabang as the families live in conditions with minimal water and greater exposure to garbage that is not always properly contained or disposed of in a timely manner. They also struggle every month to buy sanitary napkins when they are on their menstruation cycles. Many mothers often cut strips of cloth in order to help their young daughters get through their periods.
It was imperative to teach the mothers, who can teach their young daughters and young women in their area, not to be ashamed of menstruating and to discuss these issues openly.
Weeks prior to the event, the registered attendees were given surveys regarding menstrual hygiene and the different options for sanitary products. It was not surprising that 74% of the women who participated, between the ages of 14 and 30+, have actually missed work or school because they did not have access to feminine hygiene products or felt too embarrassed to leave the house due to the lack of products. They even admitted to not being able to buy feminine hygiene products on occasion. Cloth napkins, also known as pasadors, were the most popular product used by 74% of the women, while the remaining 26% either use disposable napkins or nothing at all.
In this community where water can sometimes be scarce, 68% of the participants said they do have a continuous source of running water, while 32% still experience interruptions in the flow of water. This can lead to serious issues for women who are unable to wash thoroughly during their periods or to wash their reusable cloth napkins immediately. As for garbage disposal, almost all the women admitted to just throwing away used products as is or wrapping them in plastic.
It was imperative to teach the mothers, who can teach their young daughters and young women in their area, not to be ashamed of menstruating and to discuss these issues openly. They were taught how to maintain proper feminine hygiene with minimal access to water by 3rd year nursing students and HAPI volunteers AJ Zalameda and Kurt Gelogo. They were then taught how to dispose of the trash properly and how to use the reusable feminine napkins by Barangay Health Worker Ruby R. Torrenueva from the Barangay Alabang Health Center. Angie Driskell then took over to explain how using reusable napkins and menstrual cups can also help the environment in the long run. They were shown how to use menstrual cups as an alternative to napkins.
The religious influence on the population, namely the influence of Catholicism in the Philippines, has led to stigma and adds to what is called Period Poverty. Through the survey, it was estimated that 3% considered their religious beliefs while another 3% considered their cultural beliefs when deciding the best form of menstrual hygiene or choosing products. 45% still consult their family and friends and 30% merely base their decisions on their financial means at the given time. Although this does not seem too shocking, the fact that religious beliefs have any influence at all on how a woman takes care of herself during her cycle is still an eye-opener. It may also be the cultural influence that keeps these women from trying menstrual cups. The attendees made it very clear that this was not an option they were willing to try and they did not feel comfortable with the idea of inserting any product into their vagina.
[T]here are ways to stay healthy and get through their periods safely while saving the environment at the same time.
At the end of the event, 50% of the women still stood by their use of reusable napkins over other products and 30% still preferred disposable napkins because of their convenience. Overall, the campaign was a success, especially since all the women felt they learned a lot and would like to learn more in the future. They all received a hygiene kit that contained one reusable sanitary napkin, one pack of disposal napkins, one pack of panty liners, and a bar of soap. Although it may seem counterproductive to provide a small pack of disposable sanitary products, we must keep taking into consideration that the idea of products that must be inserted is still taboo, especially in these communities. This is why they were not provided with menstrual cups. Hopefully, HAPI can help them find alternatives to disposable products in the long run.
One realization that came from conducting this event is that not all health centres are ready or equipped to tackle the issue of Period Poverty. After requesting for a health worker to be assigned to discuss these topics, only one stepped forward to do so at the last minute. We must address this when speaking with local government officials and make it a priority because this basic biological function, not to mention how it is affecting women in these communities, is often ignored. It is time to teach these women that there are ways to stay healthy and get through their periods safely while saving the environment at the same time.
