Jessica ’26 traveled to Burundi to launch a menstrual health education initiative that provided over 500 girls with reusable hygiene kits and open conversations about womanhood, aiming to break cultural taboos, reduce shame, and empower girls to care for their health and stay in school.
I started this project because I believe girls like me deserve to understand their bodies, take care of their health, and feel confident—especially when it comes to things like periods and growing up. As a young woman living in today’s society I am privileged enough to have the opportunity, assets, materials, and people to learn about my body and reproductive health the right way. Unlike many girls in Burundi.
In Burundi the topic of women’s hygiene, and menstrual health is a heavily emotional, and a fragile topic to touch upon and tackle. It is seen as a “Taboo” subject amongst the Burundian community, and many other African countries. Girls often feel ashamed, embarrassed, or even miss school when they’re on their periods. Some don’t have access to pads or clean water. Girls don’t get enough information about sexual and reproductive health, and especially about menstruation.
I desire girls to stop feeling ashamed of their periods, to take better care of their health, and to stay in school; which ultimately indirectly impacts them in the long run. For them to have people they can talk to and trust. And their own communities to be more open and supportive when it comes to girls growing up, into something beautiful called womanhood.
My journey to Burundi was long but worth every step of the way. It was simple as hearing giggles, witnessing smiles, and receiving endless thanks from the young girls in which wavered warmth amongst my heart. The topic of menstrual hygiene wasn’t an easy subject to speak upon due to the shameful societal viewpoints of the subject in the country. And, the language barrier made me wonder if my testimony was truly going to impact and inspire the girls in the correct way. Despite this I was determined to give the girls the same comfort, and resources I was able to receive myself.
My project was launched in a small village located in Capital Gitega. Sincerest thanks to the valuable contributions of the nonprofit organization SaCoDe based in Burundi; striving to improve living conditions in underprivileged areas in order to promote healthy living. I served more than 500 girls with a testimony on women’s hygiene and menstrual health. With the help of a translator I was able to inform the girls on the process of becoming a woman, while also letting them know that this process is a natural process within the human body, indicating that one is growing to become something strong and beautiful. I reassured the girls that this is nothing they should be ashamed, and embarrassed of, and even shared experiences that should be normalized. Intrigued by my statements, afterwards the girls asked many lingering questions, which again the aspiration was to answer with understanding.
Following my testimony I then was able to purchase more than 500 eco-economic menstrual hygiene kits to distribute amongst the girls. The kits included 5 reusable pads lasting up to 3-5 years. And additionally I surprised them with a sweet treat, an assortment of American candies.
So much warmth alluded within my heart within this experience. And the language barrier didn’t stop us from creating a deeper connection. We shared smiles, words of thanks, hugs, and photos. A lasting experience I hope to return back to and continue to water.
I believe this experience revealed a different perspective of an unspoken worldwide problem that needs to be addressed within society. It was eye opening to see the distinctness of the livelihood within Burundi and one of my own.
