How menstruation is slowly sinking young girls into depression

To some girls the monthly period is a moment that marks their transition from childhood to womanhood. But to these young girls in Sinai slums, it is a moment that sinks them into depression and shame.

These teenage girls in Sinai slums say it is not all about the pain that always comes with the menstrual cycle it is all about lack of access to one of the most sought after commodities by young girls who have just entered their adolescent stage which is the sanitary pads.

They instead cut a piece of cloth, fold it and then in between insert a piece of mattress to absorb the menstrual blood.

Hilda a 13 year old from Sinai says she is forced to stay at home during her monthly periods because of lack of the commodity.

“My menstrual cycle takes an average of four days and i have to stay at home all the days because my parents cannot afford sanitary pads,” she says.

Hilda says the piece of cloth she uses during menstruation cannot hold the blood long enough to help her stay in school.

After using the piece of cloth, she cleans it using hot water and salt hoping it will dry in time for her to use it again.

“We cannot keep cutting all our clothes, so we also need to be creative enough by cleaning the pieces they already have,” she explains.

Hilda who has been a victim of intimidation when her menstrual flow leaked accidentaly says she would rather stay at home than go to school and suffer humiliation.

“It is hard for us here at the slums, we just hope that this humiliation might one day come to an end,” she says.

AUTHOR: CLARET ADHIAMBO