Making menstruation and feminine hygiene less taboo in Sierra Leone

Conversations about menstruation and menstrual hygiene used to be taboo in Sierra Leone’s Luawa Chiefdom, until the implementation of the HerWASH initiative. Before the project, women and girls isolated themselves when they had their periods and could not openly ask for support. They used pieces of clothing for sanitary napkins, regardless of how clean these were. 

But workshops hosted by HerWASH, a Canadian-funded project, helped to destigmatize menstruation in the region and increase participants’ knowledge of feminine health and hygiene by leveraging the voices of women leaders. Sixty-five-year-old Elizabeth Vandy participated in one of the workshops. She is the Queen Mother of a Sowei, a traditional secret society commonly found in Sierra Leone, in the Luawa Chiefdom. As the head of the Sowei, she leads the traditional initiation ceremonies for girls transitioning into adulthood. She is the voice of women in the Chiefdom and advocates for issues that are important to its women and girls. 

Since participating in the HerWASH workshop, Elizabeth has begun sharing information about menstrual health and hygiene in her community — and using her influence as a community leader to reduce the stigma around menstruation. She has participated in radio awareness campaigns and community meetings to emphasize the importance of proper menstrual hygiene.