Since August of 2020, we have been working with the Chausiku Foundation to promote women’s menstrual health education. The Chausiku foundation is a non-governmental organization established by six young innovators to use technology to eliminate period poverty.
The Chausiku Foundation provides women with important supplies during menstrual periods so they can study without fear of being embarrassed or discriminated against. The organization aims to eliminate menstrual period poverty by providing awareness and education regarding menstrual health to Tanzanians in conjunction with the machines.
What Is Menstruation Awareness And Period Poverty?
Over the past few years, menstruation awareness on a national scale has grown considerably. Even though women have long worked to make hygiene products more readily available and eliminate stigmas, they have just begun to make waves publicly.
In terms of menstruation awareness, it not only promotes the availability of hygiene products to those who need them but also emphasizes other aspects. Period poverty is another reason menstruation awareness has become an important issue. The increased price of sanitary products, such as pads, tampons, and menstrual cups, means many women can’t afford the supplies they need every month. According to Forbes, 35 states in the US tax these products because they are considered non-essential. Period poverty is the result of this.
The Differences In How Menstruation Is Discussed In Other Cultures
A key aspect of period poverty is the impact it has on other countries. Having access to quality sanitary products is crucial for women living in areas where menstrual health is not discussed, rather than being forced to use unsafe makeshift substitutes. As a consequence of makeshift substations, these solutions can cause discomfort which can be painful for students and further perpetuate the cycle of shame.
During their period, women in some areas are often instructed to stay indoors, avoid food handling, and avoid churches because they are regarded as unclean and tainted to their religion when they are in the cycle. In this situation, women are isolated from their communities and may suffer a reduction in their income if they are unable to participate in their normal wage-earning activities. The effect is particularly detrimental to young students who are on their period and cannot pursue their education.
Changing Lives Through The Chausiku Foundation
The Chausiku foundation is also in its early years as a nonprofit. While the organization started in early 2020, its first automatic sanitary pad vending machine was designed and built in July of 2019. The machine was devised as the perfect solution to the problems faced by most adolescent girls. Using registered cards, fingerprints, or QR codes, the vending machine dispenses sanitary pads and can be accessed by several different methods. Having similar missions to our own, we knew we could step in and assist another nonprofit.
Similarity In Our Missions
Our mission here at Techdren is to provide access to technology for all to further education and empower females. We want to ensure that every woman, regardless of her menstrual cycle, can get an education. During the pandemic, working with the Chausiku foundation was a perfect way to assist students in Tanzania while we could not travel to the country ourselves for an unknown amount of time. This gave us an opportunity to lend a helping hand to another organization that we aligned with.
Our Partnership With The Chausiku Foundation
Through our work with Chauskiu Foundation, we provided the funds for the establishment of a vending machine that allowed pads to be distributed in the Mkuranga District in Tanzania. This machine was installed in early March between two schools so that more students could access it and it could serve a larger crowd of female students who are in desperate need of feminine hygiene products. After the vending machines were installed, female students were registered in the system and instructed on how to operate them. Our organization is delighted that so many young women will now have access to necessary feminine hygiene products to help them miss fewer days of school and end the stigma associated with menstrual health.
Help The Chausiku Foundation Continue Their Mission
Throughout the world, there is still so much progress that needs to be made to help combat period poverty. The Chausiku Foundation is on the hunt for additional schools and sites where their machines can be installed. They can only accomplish this with the assistance of generous donors. You can keep up with the Chausiku foundation on all their social media platforms including LinkedIn and Instagram. Make sure to check out their website and most recent video showcasing the sanitary pad vending machine we were able to be a part of the funding. Our sincerest thanks to the Chausiku foundation for our partnership, we are so happy that we could be a part of your adventure to end period poverty!
