Case study - Feminine health
Period Poverty
“In my country, we don’t talk about these things. Never, not even to friends. It was hard for me in the first group session. I felt humiliated. But then I saw other women like me freely talking and it became easier.”
AMURTEL Greece is an international women’s NGO that maintains safe women’s spaces that focus on the period of pregnancy up to two years after birth. AMURTEL maintains a day center in a central area of Athens as well as providing services in refugee camps, shelters and local NGO venues.
For many women in times of crisis, their concerns focus around the well-being of their children and family. Disasters can also make women more susceptible to post-traumatic stress, depression, or lingering shock and grief. Pregnant and postpartum women are often especially vulnerable.
Mayamiko Trust partnered with AMURTEL Greece in 2019 to provide donations of reusable sanitary pads for women accessing their services focussed on female and reproductive health.
Due to lack of education or social norms where discussions of anything relating to sexuality and reproductive functions is highly taboo, many of the AMURTEL mothers know little to nothing about sexual reproductive health. In some of the women’s countries of origin, talking about reproduction and sexuality is not only prohibited but associated with intense shame and censure from others. The concepts of family planning are unknown and contraception unused since having many children is the norm. Many women report superstitions and myths surrounding sexual reproductive health as being widespread and believed by nearly everyone.
As part of this work, and to facilitate conversations, women received reusable sanitary pads donated by Mayamiko Trust, alongside visual and culturally appropriate information leaflets. These were translated in Arabic, French, Greek and Farsi. Beneficiaries included women between 16 and and 45 from migrant and refugee background coming from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Cameroon, Ghana, DRC and Sierra Leone.
This experience has also been very valuable for the Mayamiko Trust women making pads. They feel a sense of pride, self-worth and sisterhood knowing that they are empowering women in far away parts of the world through their skills and work.
“Women have been interested by the pads. We explained that it was a really good way to save money and to reduce waste. We explained them how to wash it and dry it. We use the leaflet in their own language, this is really useful. Please send more! ”
