SHE DONATES DISPOSABLE MENSTRUAL PADS, SOAP AND TISSUES To SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
SHE CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD 2020
This event was organized by SHE on the 11th October, 2020. She brought together students from seven nearby villages around Makeni and students from three communities in Makeni town. There were ten representatives from each community and a teacher from each from each of the communities invited. In total 100 girls and 10 teachers participated in this event. Other partner participants were also invited to witness the occasion. In attendance were representatives from the Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs, Rainbow Initiative, Defence for Children International (DCI), Children’s Forum Network, Pikin to Pikin Network, and NACOVERC. Also in attendance were female musicians and journalists from all the major media houses in Makeni. As well, some other key stakeholders in Makeni and activists also attended the event. NACOVERC who provided the hall and vehicle also provided two military officers to serve as security for the event.
At exactly 1:00pm all the girls were fully dressed in the pink customized T-shirt and face masks to observe covid rules. The event opening ceremony was carried out by a representative from Ministry of Social welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs, Mrs Lucy Massaquoi who thanked Smart Her Empowerment for such a brilliant initiative to celebrate the international day of the girl child in a grand way. She reiterated that girls are significant tool for any developing nation and if only girls are given the opportunity to be themselves, protected from all form of abuse and violence, they should not be seated their seeking for more freedom, more rights, more opportunities and equality for girls and women. She drew their attention to this year´s theme: my voice, our equal future, and called on all to raise the voices of girls in the pursuit of a better future.
The second speaker was the manager of Rainbow Initiative Bombali. In her statement she says “ let girls be girls not mothers and that she is expecting girls to focus on their education.” She further explained to them about how valuable the society sees girls and if only they become patient and perseverance, they will surly achieve their purpose in life. She concluded by reminding them of their values and their responsibilities; when it comes to sexual penetration, they should not keep it silent, then should speak up at all time. She narrated how to channel rape cases and admonish them to educate their fellow colleague girls about what they have learnt.
Mrs. Salamatu Conteh Lansana a representative from MADAM Sierra Leone and also a Board member highlighted the need for girls to take the front stage to help fight for the betterment of all girls.
After statements by speakers, there was a performance by the peace kids with their sensitization and advocacy song. Their song showcase the beauty of girls’ empowerment. The entertainment session was quite inspiring with lot of messages to colleagues girls and all the participants were happy and dancing to their empowerment songs.
Just after the entertainment session that lasted for half an hour, participants into groups base on their communities. The girls were seen to have expressed confidence in highlighting their problems. Generally, it seems like the girls are quite aware about the odd things that are affecting them. Some of these issues are early marriage, teenage pregnancy, sexual penetration and abuse, street trading, death through abortion, education on sex, voicelessness of girls, bad parenting, poverty and deprivation of girls from basic amenities
SHE 3 DAYS AWARENESS RAISING CAMPAIGN on SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS, ON THE CORONA VIRUS AND OTHER ISSUES
SHE targeted three deprived communities to raise awareness on SRHR issues ahead of the International Day of the girl child celebration. The campaign started on the 6th and ended on the 9th October. The team used Bluetooth Speaker and a vehicle provided by NACOVERC (Bombali) to travel to the communities for the 3 days.
On the 6th October the first day of our campaign, we started our engagement at 10:00am at Pate-Bana-Marank (three miles off Makeni city). The team engaged the community leaders, boys, girls and parents. The second day 7th October took us Robuya Community where we targeted the Primary School. On the third day 8th October, we visited Amputee Camp at Pamlap village close to Makeni. The team carried out similar messages to the communities and below is summary of the talks delivered by the team.
The Director of SHE Marion Tennehfillah Koroma who led the team gave the opening statement and stated the purpose of the campaign. SHE said their visit is to tell the community people, boys, girls and parent about the significant of the girl child and how important is was to celebrate the international day of the girl child. The day is set aside to recognise the challenges girls go through in our society, especially health challenges that hinders their progress. For this she said they are willing to interact with the community in order to understand their greatest challenges when it comes to girls health in our society. They will also discuss the rights of the girl child, on rape on teenage pregnancy, girl’s prostitution and on sexually transmitted diseases. The Director also spoke lengthily on the corona virus. She advised all to take the corona virus very serious. “The corona virus is very real and still amongst us. We must take the protective measures seriously, we must continue to wash our hands regularly, avoid close contacts with people especially strangers we are no sure of where they have been. We must also report any suspected cases of illness to the nearest health center.”
The Programme Manager Mabinty Kamara spoke on teenage pregnancy and its negative effects on girls. The factors contributing to teenage pregnancy included: lack of school fees, lack of parental care, communication and supervision, poverty, peer pressure, non-use of contraceptives, desire for a child, forced marriage, low educational level and need for dowries. She therefore called on parents to address these needs or pay more attention to their girls and give them the support they need to grow wise. To the girls, she said they can choose not to have sex; talk openly to parents or other trusted adults and ask how they can get birth control if they choose to be sexually active. Talk with a health care provider to learn about the best types of birth control for them, and use it and condoms correctly every time
SHE DONATES DISPOSABLE MENSTRUAL PADS, SOAP AND TISSUES
Smart Her Empowerment celebrates the world menstrual hygiene day with female inmates at the Makeni correction center, young female girls at the Panlap Amputee Camp and distributes sanitary pads with other sanitary products in solidarity of the day.
Every May 28, nonprofits, government agencies, the private sector, the media, and individuals come together to celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH Day) and advocate for the importance of good menstrual hygiene management (MHM).
#MHD 2020 CELEBRATION
Smart Her Empowerment celebrates the world menstrual hygiene day with female inmates at the Makeni correction center, young female girls at the panlap amputee camp and distributes sanitary pads with other sanitary products in solidarity of the day.
Lamenting on the importance of the day at the female correctional center in Makeni, the Founder and Director SHE, Marion Tennehfilah Koroma said, their organization is a teenage health breeding forum that mostly deals with health issues. She noted that every year on the 28 of May was a day set aside by Wash United to celebrate with dignity the pains women go through during their menstruation. And to find better ways that will help to address the constant pains teenage girls go through every month.
She said as a small organization their venture to female inmates was to show solidarity by distributing sanitary pads, soap and tissue as a clear manifestation to view the love they have for them, she said they are women like any other women across the globe and they deserve better dignity especially this day. Marion said there are several donations going on of which they are not beneficiaries. She noted that the knowledge they shared with them and with the distribution of few sanitary products will help the female inmates to look after themselves during their menstrual cycle.
Also speaking to teenagers at the Panlap Amputee Camp 2, member of SHE and public health student of the University of Makeni , Julia Moniaca Bangura advised the girls to take care of themselves hence they ‘ve started seeing their menstruation, adding that according to health workers it is advisable for a woman to change her menstrual pads after every three hours otherwise if not hygienic it most time leads to several health complications.
One of the beneficiaries at the Panlap Amputee camp 2, Fatmata Kanu thanked SHE for the knowledge they shared with them on menstrual cycles and lauded their effort in distributing the sanitary pads. She called on women to celebrate their pains with dignity as bleeding every month means they are potential people. She advised men to stop stigmatizing their wives and to always empathize and feel with them during their menstrual periods.
However as the world continues to celebrate world menstrual hygiene day there are women and girls living in the far villages who do not have knowledge on their menstrual periods and continue to suffer adverse health complications.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2020
I’M GENERATION EQUALITY: REALISING WOMEN’S RIGHT(2020 THEME)
Today, March 8th is International Women’s Day. The reality is that this day means little or nothing to thousands of Sierra Leonean women whose lives have been constantly trapped in poverty, violence, depression, discrimination and gender oppression. This day is supposed to be a day of celebration and recognition of women in Sierra Leone and the world; a day we should celebrating the value of women and their achievements and their unwavering support to develop the nation and the world. Sadly however, for millions of our women whose value has been placed on child bearing, sex and violation of their fundamental rights. Women celebrate this day in various ways, sending good wishes to family and friends and write articles, present programmes on women’s right. Afterwards, little is done to practically implement all those good wishes and support to women’s empowerment. Women’s day should be celebrated every day, we should keep fighting each day to ensure many girls are sent to school, to advocate for stronger punishment for those who use violence on women and dehumanizes them; to defend the vulnerable women who are everyday subjected to many kinds of abuses.
Women are fundamental to achieving a better world with shared of responsibility and recognition.
We therefore need to break barriers on gender discrimination/norms; break stereotypes that continue to limit the ability of women; reject negativity and empower women to self-realisation. Let us all work together for a better Sierra Leone and also support global development.
Long live Sierra Leone!!!
Happy Women’s day to you all.
Marion Tennehfillah Koroma
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR
SMART HER EMPOWERMENT (SHE)
