All Aboard The Paddy Wagon!
Posted by mscate on October 28, 2008
Come make reusable pads for young women in Africa!
In many areas of Africa young women are unable to go to school on a monthly basis due to their period. Some pharmaceutical companies donate pads and tampons but tampons aren’t always an option for cultural reasons (such as FGM) and disposal of conventional pads can be a problem as they are typically burnt which releases lots of nasty toxins into the air.
Providing reusable pads not only provides a more environmentally friendly alternative for these young women (in areas of adequate water supply for washing), it reduces their dependence on outside aid organizations to continue providing for their monthly needs.
There are 2 dates available so let me know what suits:
22nd November
6th December
10-4pm
Ross House, 247 Flinders Lane, City
RSVPs essential! It’s okay if you can’t sew, maybe you have a talent for cutting, ironing, making cups of tea…
PS – I apologise for the delay in organising these events, I was busy getting married.
Kat said
I am curious if anyone has experience with the reusable pads?
How do they compare to other alternatives like the cup (although I note that this might not be a viable option due to the cultural reasons mentioned above).
Does anyone know if things have improved in providing education on alternatives in Australia? I know that everything I have learnt has come from international feminist sites on the web.
In fact, I think the only time I have discussed alternatives in a positive way was a couple of years ago when the Age ran the melbourne cup headline Diva Cup Fever!
mscate said
It’s a really good point you’re making. My exposure to Australian info about alternatives has been limited to university Women’s Departments and feminist collectives and shops that either smell of incense or stock products which Women spelt with a ‘y’.
.
I’ve certainly not seen any awareness in the mainstream fear of ‘feminine hygiene’. I guess many women are fed the idea that periods are dirty and gross and shameful. The term ‘sanitary’ certainly implies that women’s blood is unsantitary somehow, or unhygenic. WIth this kind of brainwashing, cups,sponges and cloth pads can seem very confronting.
Another thing, I read a stat the other day that a woman uses 16,000 pads/tampons in her lifetime. That’s alot of products!