Enhancing access to menstrual hygiene facilities, clean water and proper nutrition
Many communities face significant challenges related to limited access to menstrual hygiene facilities, clean water and proper nutrition. The lack of menstrual hygiene products leads to girls and women missing 2-5 days of school and agricultural work each month, impacting their education and productivity. Compounding these issues is the stigma surrounding menstruation and sex education, which further exacerbates health problems and contributes to teenage pregnancies. Additionally, families and elders often lack crucial knowledge about proper nutrition, safe water use, and good hygiene practices.
Inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities, along with malnutrition, results in diseases such as diarrhea, bilhazia, underweight and stuntedness among children, poor maintenance of water sources, and high medical costs, all of which contribute to ongoing poverty in the community. The Ujamaa Empowerment Network addresses these challenges with a comprehensive approach that includes training girls and women on how to make re-usable sanitary pads which are cost and environmental friendly, water safety and improving nutrition, particularly for children and the elderly to enhance overall well-being and reduce poverty.
