Action Alert: support the “Dignity. Period!” campaign
Information on how you can help the Dignity. Period! campaign, coordinated by ACTSA, is provided at the end of this post.
One of our bloggers wrote a little while ago about the Zimbabwean government’s crass approach towards the crisis that Zimbabwean women are facing in terms of shortages of sanitary products in the country. This isn’t simply a story about shortages of yet another type of product. Shortages of sanitary ware go to the heart of women’s rights: it’s an issue which raises questions of whether a woman is forced to stay away from work or school; whether she is putting her health at risk by picking up infections or, if she is HIV positive, whether those infections will literally shorten her life span. In short, a lack of affordable hygienic sanitary products translates directly into issues of women’s rights as well as women’s dignity. The story has been picked up by The Sunday Times (UK) again today. The article is cited in full below:
Celebrities back tampon rebels of Zimbabwe
SHE has been arrested 22 times, tortured so badly that her front teeth were knocked into her nose and had an AK-47 thrust up her vagina until she bled. Thabitha Khumalo’s crime: to campaign against a critical shortage of tampons and sanitary towels in Zimbabwe, one of the least talked about and most severe side-effects for women of the country’s economic crisis.
Now her cause has been taken up in Britain by celebrities including the actors Anna Chancellor, Gillian Anderson, Prunella Scales and Jeremy Irons.
Later this month they will launch “Dignity. Period!”, a fundraising campaign to buy sanitary products for Zimbabwe’s women. It will start with a night of entertainment at the 20th Century theatre in Notting Hill, west London, hosted by Stephen Fry.
So desperate is the situation that women are being forced to use rolled-up pieces of newspaper. Zimbabwe already has the world’s lowest life expectancy for women — 34 — and Khumalo believes these unhygienic practices could make it drop to as low as 20 because infections will make them more vulnerable to HIV. “It’s a time bomb,” she said. The shortage is forcing schoolgirls to stay at home when they start menstruating.
The crisis began in 1999 when Johnson & Johnson, the healthcare manufacturer, pulled out of the country because of the worsening economic situation. Zimbabwe then had to import products from neighbouring South Africa. But the collapse of the currency and the world’s highest inflation, now more than 1,000%, have made the products unaffordable to all but the elite.
In a country where the minimum wage is Z$6m (£17.14) a month, the cost of a box of 20 tampons is Z$3m. “Who in their right mind is going to spend half their earnings on tampons?” asked Khumalo. “As it is most people can only afford to eat once a day. Women are being forced to choose between their own health and the survival of their family.”
Khumalo, 45, general secretary of the Women’s Advisory Council of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, and a mother of two, started her campaign after she saw a woman walking awkwardly on the street: “She told me she was going home from work because she had her period and could no longer afford sanitary protection or cotton wool.”
When an MP raised the issue in parliament, government ministers fell about laughing and dismissed the matter. Khumalo has tried to highlight it through public meetings and distributing scarves printed with demands for affordable sanitary wear. As a result she has been repeatedly arrested and beaten, but refuses to be deterred.
Update: 18 July 2007
ACTSA have been pushing further with the Dignity! Period. Campaign and have secured the support Bodyform, manufacturers of sanitary protection in the UK. Bodyform are committed to supporting the work of ACTSA’s Dignity! Period. campaign and will donate funds to produce ¼ million packs of sanitary towels for Zimbabwean women, as well as continuing to raise awareness of the campaign. Please visit the Bodyform website and use the ‘Tell a Friend’ feature to spread word of the campaign.
For a mere £2.50 you can also buy yourselves a Dignity! Period. wristband. What’s truly amazing about this is that your money will provide one woman with essential sanitary protection for three months.
The following is a list of information and suggestions on how people around the world can help. If you have more ideas for what people can do to help the campaign then please send us your ideas and we’ll add them to the list:
- Information on the campaign on the ACTSA website
- Make a secure online donation to the campaign here. Or you can also send cheques payable to ACTSA (with sanitary appeal written on the back). Details on the website.
- Make a donation to ACTSA via the JustGiving website in the UK here
- People in the UK can ask their MP to sign the parliamentary Early Day Motion (EDM) supporting the campaign.
- Everyone else, please contact your local MP and encourage them to actively support the campaign.
- Download and distribute the ACTSA Dignity.Period! leaflet. Print out multiple copies and leave them in places where people can pick them up - in the cubicles of women’s public toilets are one suggestion.
- If you are a blogger or have a website, please feel free to use the button Sokwanele has created on your website or blog as well. Using our code will add an image like the one we have in our sidebar, and a link back to this post where we hope to build on the list of ideas here. Details on how to do so below.
- Think about how people around the world can help and send us your ideas. We’ll continue to build this list of suggestions.
To use our button and link back to this list of ideas on how everyone can support the Dignity. Period! campaign, please copy the code in the box below and paste it where you would like the button to appear on your website. Please let us know you’ve done so.
Help spread the word and thank you all for your support!
Links to recommended reading and updates on the campaign
- Bodyform and the Dignity! Period. campaign
- Join the ‘Rally for Dignity in London’ (10 March 2007) - details here
- Comments left by ACTSA (see comments below) or link directly here and here
- Zimbabwe state security agents seize sanitary pads
- How We Met: Anna Chancellor & Thabitha Khumalo (Dignity. Period! Campaign)
- Answers to frequently asked questions about the campaign (including many asked in our comments) available at this ACTSA link
May 8th, 2006 08:52
Sokwanele, I had to drop this story on my blog as well. We gotta spread the word on this and so much more.
Peace,
Naro%
May 8th, 2006 16:03
[...] !! [...]
May 8th, 2006 19:24
Black Looks - In Solidarity with the women of Zimbabwe - Always.
May 8th, 2006 19:25
[...] ACTSA (Action for Southern Africa) are coordinating a campaign supported by Sokwanele to highlight the health issues related to the lack of accessable sanitary towels and tampons in the country. This isn’t simply a story about shortages of yet another type of product. Shortages of sanitary ware go to the heart of women’s rights: it’s an issue which raises questions of whether a woman is forced to stay away from work or school; whether she is putting her health at risk by picking up infections or, if she is HIV positive, whether those infections will literally shorten her life span. In short, a lack of affordable hygienic sanitary products translates directly into issues of women’s rights as well as women’s dignity. [...]
May 8th, 2006 23:46
Perhaps, a wiser - for the women & for the Earth - option would be looking into reusuable sanitary protection, such as a Keeper or a Diva Cup. For the cost of roughly three months of protection (if I’m reading the converstions correctly) a woman can get sanitary protection that will last for TEN YEARS without risk of infection.
http://www.thekeeper.com
http://www.divacup.com
Also - perhaps one of both of these companies might offer to donate supplies to support Dignity.Period.
(I am not affliated with either company, I am just a devoted fan of my Keeper!)
May 9th, 2006 00:10
Your link is on my blog. Good luck with the campaign - and with your reporting.
May 10th, 2006 10:51
I have linked to you on my blog. I can’t believe the government actually asked for duty on the consignment donated by COSATU!!!
May 10th, 2006 23:38
I’v put the Diginity.Period sign on my blog.
May 11th, 2006 13:52
I’ve taken your button for my blog. Thank you for making people aware about this.
May 12th, 2006 18:34
there is one great power that this regime wont defeat thats time ,for i know that we will outlive them,us the youths.we have to be patient and persistant,we will achieve our goal
thanks a lot such sites for which they give us hope
we will conquer(together)
May 12th, 2006 19:55
I’ve put the campaign button on my blog. Thank you for running this story. I will support this in any way I can.
May 14th, 2006 21:04
I’ve linked.
May 15th, 2006 09:27
[...] !!One of our bloggers wrote a little while ago about the Zimbabwean government’s crass approach towards the crisis that Zimbabwean women are facing in terms of shortages of sanitary products in the country. This isn’t simply a story about shortages of yet another type of product. Shortages of sanitary ware go to the heart of women’s rights: it’s an issue which raises questions of whether a woman is forced to stay away from work or school; whether she is putting her health at risk by picking up infections or, if she is HIV positive, whether those infections will literally shorten her life span. In short, a lack of affordable hygienic sanitary products translates directly into issues of women’s rights as well as women’s dignity. (read more) ! [...]
May 15th, 2006 13:18
[...] Sokwanele announced the “Dignity. Period!” campaign. [...]
May 16th, 2006 01:33
I have put the banner on my blog. United we stand as the saying goes
May 16th, 2006 20:38
I have posted this link on my blog.
I first became aware of this cause through my admiration of Gillian Anderson, I hope to make others aware too.
May 16th, 2006 23:34
[...] A note from Sokwanele to our sister site, BlogsByWomen.org: We’ve posted up an article on our blog highlighting a campaign being run for Zimbabwean women who are unable to buy sanitary ware in Zimbabwe (the campaign is called “Dignity.Period!”) [...]
May 17th, 2006 01:39
I support your advocacy campaign - good luck to you - it is a very worthy cause.
May 17th, 2006 01:49
I have linked to you on my blogs. Good luck!
May 18th, 2006 02:37
[...] !! [...]
May 18th, 2006 19:08
I linked last week through a trackback that I see didn’t make it.
May 18th, 2006 19:37
I’ve linked to you–best of luck!
May 18th, 2006 21:27
I’ve added the button to my blog.
May 18th, 2006 23:28
I’m with Kendra–buying re-useable sanitary pads (available from various “green” companies, like Seventh Generation) might be a much better way to go. Or even sending in good ideas about how to improvise–or giving business loans and info on how to make re-useable ones to the local women.
May 22nd, 2006 13:30
It’s a shame that the Government can’t donate at least some of the VAT, paid by UK women on their sanitary protection, to this cause.
May 22nd, 2006 23:54
Now that she’s gone through the change, a friend of mine has decided to donate the money she would have used for sanitary protection to this cause. I propose to do the same. I do hope this campaign will bring some real relief to those poor women in Zimbabwe.
May 31st, 2006 20:46
Put your button up on my blog, doing my best to spread the word. Awareness and $$, let’s see what women can do together!
June 5th, 2006 19:08
I had an idea to collect donations of boxes of tampons and maxi pads. Who or where could I send them to so they would make it over there? Thanks, Tara
June 6th, 2006 17:41
Tara - that’s a great idea. We suggest you contact ACTSA with the suggestion and ask how they can be delivered. They’re coordinating the campaign. Contact details are as follows:
ACTSA,
28 Penton Street,
London,
N1 9SA
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7833 3133
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7837 3001
Email: actsa@actsa.org
Web: http://www.actsa.org
June 6th, 2006 18:23
Please let me know to whom I can safely mail tampons, pads, etc.
I would like to help.
I lived in Bulawayo from 1973-1981 and taught at Bulawayo Polytechnic. Bulawayo used to be a breadbasket for the country. How times change.
June 14th, 2006 08:16
Pardon me for any ignorance. I understand that I am speaking from a priveleged perspective as a white woman in the usa, healthy and well past the zimbabwean life expectancy.
I don’t understand the issue of increased risk of infection. Here, I learned the opposite growing up- that tampons may introduce risk of infection. I think there were even warnings on the package about TSS. There are even concerns about disposable pads- about transmucosal absorbtion of dioxins from the bleaching of the materials.
I learned these things when I was very young (again, a priveleged experience with comprehensive sex-ed in school) and so I never used these disposable products. We had “pad parties” where we cut and hemmed old flannel shirts and pyjamas into pads. Here we can also buy pre-made “Glad Rags.” They last forever (15 years and going strong) and have saved me hundreds of dollars, and are very comfortable- the few times that I have accepted disposable pads in pinch I was very uncomfortable; frankly, I’d rather use a bandana.
Also, disposable products can create a sanitation problem. Public bathrooms here in the first world are overflowing with used pads and tampons- can Zimbabwe handle this?
I hope I don’t come across as a western missionary (although, we are the ones exporting these disposable products). Again, I would like to understand the health risks mentioned and the current public health perspectives on this topic.
Thank you for all you are doing.
- Diana
June 14th, 2006 14:12
Is it possible for these poor women to be provided with something reusable like the mooncup rather than expensive dispoable items. How do I find out how to help in this way?
June 24th, 2006 21:29
I intend to ask all the women I know to donate the price of a box of tampons or buy one and give it to me. we will also raise money as the womens group in my unison branch. Women together can change anything.
July 14th, 2006 17:33
I’ve linked to my blog. I wonder if something like these kits ( http://www.etsy.com/view_item.php?listing_id=299337 ) could be sent to women’s cooperatives for them to start making their own reusable (washable) sanitary napkins?
July 15th, 2006 00:44
[...] [...]
July 15th, 2006 13:02
in solidarity with my friends in Zimbabwe. I love you!
July 18th, 2006 11:18
I have added to my front page and will post a blog and donate. I used to live in your neighbour country - Zambia and used to visit Zim - very saddening.
July 25th, 2006 06:44
Bravo to all of you for your good work. I have copied your article to my blog with the links. I’m going to the BlogHer conference later this week outside of San Francisco. Is there any way I could collect monies or help you with this effort while I’m there?
July 25th, 2006 18:29
I’ve posted this on my blog. Good luck Grannyp http://www.grannyp.blogspot.com.
July 28th, 2006 12:04
you cannot use mooncups in Zim at the moment. there is a severe water shortage and when faced with the option of hydrating their children or washing a moon cup women will always choose their children.
ACTSA are not looking for sanitary towels at the moment they are looking for donations. this way they cna fund a manufacturer in Zim to produce them themselves. It creates employment and helps a weak economy. I would urge you all to donate.
August 29th, 2006 09:08
After hearing Thabitha speak at UNISON’s National Conference I had to do something to highlight the plight of the women in Zimbabwe. So with the help of my local UNISON Branch in Swindon have organised a Dignity. Period Benefit Concert on the 30th September in the Mailcoach, Swindon.
The concert is FREE and is about raising awareness although a collection will be held.
For those in the area local bands will be playing throughout the day starting at 2.00pm.
P.S. We have had abusive phone calls from Robert Magabee supporters who have called us liars and that Thabitha and other Zimbabwean women living in Swindon are only asylum seekers who are not “true” Zimbabweans. These callers have even stated that information about the concert has been asked for by the Zimbabwean Government.
How’s that for just a small local event?
August 29th, 2006 21:40
Thank you to everyone for your support and efforts. It’s incredible and heartening to see so many are motivated to try and do something.
Bob - sounds fantastic. We’ve got the link to your website so we’ll promote it on our blog for you and contact others to help advertise as well. Be sure to take lots of photos and send them to us. We’d love to hear how it went. Maybe you could write a blog for us after it’s all happened which we can post here…?
For everyone else - details on the concert at http://josephmordle.com/dignity/index.html. We’ll do a proper blog in due course.
September 13th, 2006 04:12
Very many thanks for a good work. Nice and useful. Like it!
October 15th, 2006 18:22
I am a U.S.citizen living in the States, but I grew up in Zambia, in the countryside (or the “bush,” as we said back then), and my prayers and money both support the dignity and freedom of my African brothers and sisters. I’d like to mention a couple of things and make a proposal. First, women and girls in Zambia have long known how to take care of themselves without using Western products, and I don’t doubt the same is true for women in Zimbabwe (next door). In fact, this is true for women who are still closely connected to traditional ways everywhere in the world, or women in post-industrialized countries who are returning to organic and/or recyclable practices. One person commenting on this site mentions that water is hard to come by in Zimbabwe these days; therefore, personal products cannot be easily washed. I’m wondering if this is really so to the extent that women in Zimbabwe are no longer able to wash and maintain their personal products? ( I don’t know anyone living in Zimbabwe today to ask.) Also, because of tremendous devaluation of Zimbabwean currency, and inflation in that nation, the likelihood of women choosing to spend their devalued cash on Western sanitary products before other necessities seems dubious. Even if those Western products were available in Zimbabwe’s stores, they would surely be very high-priced. While I respect and very much appreciate the efforts of celebrities and others to bring attention and real aid to suffering people anywhere, and definitely do not want us women anywhere to suffer, I would like to propose that the best answer for this particular situation in Zimbabwe is perhaps two-fold: (1) for the next few years, Johnson & Johnson or Kimberly Clark or another company could donate free supplies to rural and urban clinics. J & J for one has profited from sales of various products across Africa for years, of course, so product donations at this time would be especially nice, and smart for that company; (2) education in schools and a marketing campaign via radio spots or other means of publicity in Zimbabwe to remind women of the dignity and efficacy of traditional ways of dealing with this situation. That campaign could be sponsored by an international aid organization or religious group, or it could be government-sponsored, although the Mugabe tenure of course has not been characterized by compassion for the country’s people, be they mothers and daughters, or fathers and sons. Finally, best wishes to the people of Zimbabwe and to all those folks everywhere who are trying to understand issues in their own home places and around the world, and helping out as best they can. This truly is one world.
October 31st, 2006 12:58
I’ve added the button to my blog, and will be telling everyone I know to do the same.
It’s a horrendous situation, and we need to do something to help out.
Dave
November 2nd, 2006 02:29
I’ve added the button to my myspace page. Thanks for bringing the issue to the attention of people like me who otherwise would have been completely unaware of this type of thing going on. Thabitha had to cancel her visit to our university in Leeds the other day but I really hope she can come back and speak about this because more people need to know
November 5th, 2006 02:44
Put your button up on my blog,• fulvic acid and parkinson’s doing my best to spread the word. Awareness and $$, let’s see what women can do together!
November 19th, 2006 22:42
I have a sister that is still living in Zimbabwe, and I agree the situation is very bad. Thank you for ringing that to peoples attention.
someone said that the women should use natural resourses as sanitation, as I am aware people used maize cobs and leaves in the old days, is she suggesting that women should go back to the old was. If yes is that not an infringement on their human rights?
November 21st, 2006 13:22
I have put the link image on my site.
November 22nd, 2006 05:31
Hi Chantelle,
I think the lady who questioned the wisdom of sending tampons/towels, had a valid point, especially when another poster stated that the washing of moon cups could be a problem through lack of water. How exactly are these products to be disposed of without adequate sanitation?
I’m also a bit worried about donating cash to Zim to build factories to make them. I thought the country was so corrupt under Mugabe that any aid sent to benefit the women would be immediately appropriated by government officials?
November 26th, 2006 14:53
We’ve put the button on our blog.
November 27th, 2006 10:55
I am an artist colloborating with ATCSA for an contemporary art project/exhibition in late March/April next year. I was hoping that I would be able to get intouch with some bloggers, who would allow me to use their comments in the art pieces (book and DVD).
Please blog on to this site in the next few weeks, to give your permission. This would be a great way to get as many voices heard regarding the campaign.
November 27th, 2006 21:33
The people of Zimbabwe are constantly in my thoughts and prayers. I am very fortunate that I live in the UK. Ilast wek I worte to the local Bishop, my MP and the secretary of State for the foreign office. still waiting on a reply from the secretary of state. I am not now going to sit back. So very little is shown on any news items in this coountry I am asshamed that this is allowed to carry on.
May God be with you all.
December 8th, 2006 17:34
[...] This is Zimbabwe have published an update on the Dignity Period campaign reporting that sanitary towels were seized by the Zimbabwean state security [...]
December 9th, 2006 04:15
I linked this article on my site. Thanks for making the world aware of this.
December 9th, 2006 09:53
Menstruation is serious business, Mr. Mugabe!!!
In solidarity with the women of Zimbabwe, in solidarity with my friends in Zimbabwe.
December 9th, 2006 18:53
I’ve put the button up on my blog, because every woman deserves to be treated with dignity!
December 9th, 2006 20:37
I have put the button on my blog, and will continue to mention the horrible situation in Zimbabwe when I post.
December 10th, 2006 01:57
The treatment of these women is absolutely horrifying. We live in such a wicked world. I honestly don’t know if anything can be done about it. The tyranny that exists in Africa is a never-ending story it seems to me.
Glenn Reschke
December 11th, 2006 16:11
I was absolutely horrified to read the story about the plight of the women of Zimbabwe. My sister had heard about it on TV and I read yesterday in The Mail on Sunday. Thabitha Khumalo is a truly remarkable woman.
To imagine any person, let alone government ministers laughing at such an issue feels me with horror and disgust.
I will send some support.
All people, male and female, old and young are entitled to equal respect.
It makes the fact that I have been complaining about a sore shoulder sort of fade into insignificance.
December 11th, 2006 22:27
I want to send a monthly consigment of tampons and sanitary towels to a variety of addresses in Zimbabwe so that at least some of them might get through. Are there any addresses, say hospitals, schools, universities, places where women meet so that the items can be given out freely? Surely there is some way of just sending them to Zimbabwe direct without having to go through any agency?
December 14th, 2006 15:25
Dear All
I am writing from Action for Southern Africa, who run the Dignity. Period Campaign in solidarity with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.
Two quick things, you can of course send products directly, but in our experience they rarely get through, and when we did try and geta consignment of donated pads into Zimbabwe from South Africa, the duty charged was huge.
We now buy directly from a local manufacturer in Harare, and get a great price, and they deliver them directly to women via the trade unions. In this way we also suport local employment and the Zim economy and not large multinational manufactuers.
Finally, on the pads that were siezed, this was an islolated incident, and while it may happen from time to time, we know that 99.9% of the 2.5million pads purchased so far have reached the women in need.
In solidarity
ACTSA http://www.actsa.org
December 14th, 2006 19:23
I’ve added the button to my blog.
December 14th, 2006 19:32
One more thing - re mooncups/reuseable products
We have had dicussions re this with the women of ZCTU, and while they agree that in the future this would be good, the current situation means that they would rather have pads than resuseable products.
As with all solidarity campaigns, we take our lead from our partners on the ground - in this isnstance the ZCTU, so they want disposable pads, they get disposable pads!
We have had discussions with the manufacturers of mooncup, and they fully understand and are fully supportive of this campaign.
Finally, all of us at ACTSA and the ZCTU are so encouraged by the support from all of you, this campaign has really helped put the issue of Zimbabwe, and also the struggle for the meaningful advancement of women the world over, firmly on the agenda of so many people
la Luta Continua
In solidarity
ACTSA
December 19th, 2006 23:44
I have linked this to my blog, and hope more people are aware of this concern and help.
December 20th, 2006 01:11
I’d really love to be able to donate to this from the U.S. and I’m sure I’m not the only one!
January 23rd, 2007 12:03
I feel the best way to solve this is to teach women to make hygenic reusable pads that can be used for a couple of months/years at least.Supplying the necessary knowledge and maybe materials is a more effective long term solution.Furthermore it costs next to nothing. Disposable pads and tampons are not environmentally friendly, cost a fortune and have their own health risks.The fact is one may be able to donate some supplies for this month and it solves the problem for now but what about next month and next year.Also these donations can’t reach each an every woman in the country but if they know how best to help themselves it won’t be neccessary.
February 5th, 2007 18:45
Rally for Dignity
ACTSA is organising a major Rally for Dignity on Saturday 10th March 2007. The event will take place in Trafalgar Square from 1pm - 4pm.
Two days after International Women’s Day, the day will be a celebration of the role of women in the global struggle for justice - with particular focus on the struggle for freedom in Zimbabwe and the role of women in this struggle, and a chance to build support the Dignity! Period. Campaign
Speakers invited so far include:
Lovemore Matombo, President, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
Lucia Matibenga, Vice President, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
Baroness Amos, Leader House of Lords
Frances O’Grady, Deputy General Secretary, TUC
Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London
Glenys Kinnock MEP
Ruqayyah Collector, Black Students Officer, NUS
Kat Stark, Women’s Officer, NUS
Kate Hoey, MP
Anna Chancellor, Actress
Henry Olonga, Cricketer and Musician
There will also be a balloon launch to mark the role of women in struggle.
Let us know if you plan to come along, and please try and get as many people as you can to join you campaigns@actsa.org
For more information on ACTSA and our Dignity! Period. Campaign visit http://www.actsa.org
February 7th, 2007 04:10
Hi, I have attached the dignity! period! button to my site.
I will put my money where my mouth is too. The women of zim need our support more than anyone.
February 7th, 2007 04:16
Thankyou for bringing this issue to my attention, I had never realised this kind of thing was a problem in Zimbabwe. Good luck with the campaign I will be linking.
February 15th, 2007 04:17
Gouvements sould respect all his citizens
Africa is pleaged by backwark male macho syndrome. WOMEN should rule . and let the men drick the warm beer and thingk they are clever .Africa is nothing without its WOMEN
John sharp in Indonesia .
February 17th, 2007 19:50
FAO Mr JW Sharpe
Perhaps it would be more helpful if you suggested that those who are most competent to govern should govern regardless of race or sex. To state that Women should rule is sexist and discriminatory.
[edited for clarity]
March 5th, 2007 18:39
Have the campaigners for this wonderful cause heard of a product called the mooncup?. It may be a less expensive way of providing much needed sanitry care for the women of Zimbabwe.
March 5th, 2007 19:38
They have heard of mooncups and diva cups. ACTSA left a comment (lost among the many here) on this point. Here’s the link to their response.
March 13th, 2007 12:41
very saddening story will take your button and add soon
March 16th, 2007 20:19
When will people start applying real logic to these types of issues…
(sigh)
Carmelo A. Lisciotto
March 22nd, 2007 12:10
It’s not just women moved by this. Us guys too.
March 27th, 2007 14:36
Button on my blog! Thank you for keeping us informed. It’s the butterfly effect!
April 5th, 2007 17:00
Just began an organ. called “For My Sister” because all sisters would get pads for their siblings.Currently connected to a church in Harare and ready to send now 50 boxes of pads.This need truely touched my heart.We need to make the world the place we want it to be. I would like a connection with a school system in Zim. and have the girls be given pads so they won’t miss school.I’m a teacher. Can anyone help me connect. please re: sister
or I may delete. love + prayers
April 6th, 2007 11:53
Reading about tampon shortage has made me curious to know what techniques native woman used to cope with menstruation out in the the bush before any manufactured products were marketed in Southern Rhodesia.
Can anyone please answer this in a way to give advice to the inconvenienced women of today?
April 16th, 2007 18:24
I am also curious to know how women cope with menstration when out of touch with civilization. I see this has already been mentioned by Robert, A.
Hope there we get a reply
April 17th, 2007 21:42
ive sent this to our local radio station to bring publicity
April 20th, 2007 13:45
Diese seite ist genauso interessant wie informativ. Viele Grüße!
April 26th, 2007 17:34
Hi - big thanks (great site!).
May 5th, 2007 23:29
Hi, Robert A and Leanne,
To my knowledge women used leaves and maize cob before pads, in some cases they were put in a hut were they ate and slept until their period was finished, and not allowed to cook or touch anything until it was over.
May 14th, 2007 16:32
I’m definitely down for this cause. I can’t even imagine what it’s like for the people in Zimbabwe, particularly its women to have to suffer from yet another indignity at the hands of a callous, brutal government.
June 6th, 2007 20:25
Zimbabwe must be a very tough place to live. I feel very sorry for what’s going on there
June 17th, 2007 04:11
Just added it to my blog.
…a comment on “how women did it before getting in touch with >>civilization
July 9th, 2007 10:42
I’ve 24 Blog Sites!
Have posted on all!
eg http://www.zimfinalpush.blogspot.com then for other sites please see http://www.finalpushzim.blogspot.com
Rev M S Hove
July 18th, 2007 17:16
Wow! I was really touched when I saw the bodyform pads first in a magazine, then at my local Sainsbury’s here in the UK. Touched because rarely people, let alone huge companies want to help any Zimbabweans, as if the current situation is their fault.
I straight away bought some bodyform pads, although I prefer Always. So from now on, it’s bodyform all the way. I wish there was a way that they could donate more than a quarter of a million, that’s nothing! I think people can do better than that, if this campaign is made bigger.
I was also wondering about disposable products, but being a woman in Zimbabwe at the moment must be very difficult. I still have family there at the moment, and getting water 3 days a week or so must make things tough regardless of what you use.
I think what bodyform and ACTSA are doing is amazing, and I will continue to support them in anyway I can.
However I am actually for the idea of using mooncups, it may be a better solution since you wouldn’t need to empty or wash it that often, as opposed to other methods.
Someone suggested riverting to the old ways. I grew up in Zimbabwe and never had to use maize cobs, and can’t imagine anyone in the 1st world using that, so let’s be reasonable.
On another note* What about corruption? When I told a relative about this campaign - she was quick to phone friends etc. BUT she questioned how they would be distributed. As we all know, if you have ever been anywhere near Africa - people do become greedy and take things for family and there may even be some selling involved…. I wonder how ACTSA can convince people that this wont be happening?
I guess this is not Zimbabwe’s biggest problem, but as a woman, it’s hard not to feel sorry for any woman who has to go through anything like this.
Kudos to ACTSA and everyone donating!
August 4th, 2007 04:57
“Hi, Robert A and Leanne,
To my knowledge women used leaves and maize cob before pads, in some cases they were put in a hut were they ate and slept until their period was finished, and not allowed to cook or touch anything until it was over.”
In other words, not much of an option for a woman trying to keep her job or a girl trying to stay in school. I bet it could even increase someone’s risk of AIDS (if you can’t get or keep a job and instead depend on your husband for food, you can’t afford to leave if he brings home HIV…).
“However I am actually for the idea of using mooncups, it may be a better solution since you wouldn’t need to empty or wash it that often, as opposed to other methods.”
Wouldn’t that also depend on personal comfort levels?
When I got my first period I was definitely more comfortable with pads than with the idea of sticking my whole hand in my vagina. Fortunately, nobody pressured me to do that. Nobody should pressure Zimbabwean kids to do that either, even if they did already get their first periods.
“Someone suggested riverting to the old ways. I grew up in Zimbabwe and never had to use maize cobs, and can’t imagine anyone in the 1st world using that, so let’s be reasonable.”
Also, what about urban residents? I live in a city and not enough leaves and corn husks grow here to soak up everyone’s periods, I wouldn’t be surprised if that applies to cities in Zimbabwe too.
August 17th, 2007 14:48
It sadens me that once again the women of Zimbabwe have been stripped of their dignity and all we do is sit back and watch,comment on the issue and even suggest on how the women in old day used to take of themselves in those days. If every woman who has read somewhere or knows about this were to donate a packet, we could be talking about some progress. I cannot even start to imagine how i would be able to handle that situation if it were to happen to me. It’s really goes beyond the pads, it’s about love,secrifice,humanity,dignity and having a heart. I believe we can do more for these women if only as women we come together,’IF ONLY’.
August 27th, 2007 19:40
I am raising as much awareness of this issue as I can. I have also started two pledges for UK residents to sign if they want to help with the campaign:
Pledge to write to your MP about this issue.
Pledge to buy a Dignity. Period! wristband.
September 18th, 2007 21:59
Sanitary products should ba a human right.
December 15th, 2007 14:14
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
February 7th, 2008 18:11
Thank you all for caring…
I am a girl who grew up in zim and was there only a few months ago. I think the monocups are the best way forward and are a more practical solution to the problem. Women in Zimbabwe still clean their bodies daily!
I think what- However I am actually for the idea of using mooncups, it may be a better solution since you wouldn’t need to empty or wash it that often, as opposed to other methods.”
meant was it is not every day but for a short period every month.
If there is not enough sanitation to clean a little cup, there probably isn’t enough to clear up all the disposable towels!
I don’t know who ZCTU are asking but the average woman in zimbabwe wants a workable solution. Don’t spend thousands of dollars on pads to last everyone a few months then run out of sponsors.
Did women really use husks??? I don’t think young unmarried woman in our old civilisation would have??!! Please can you verify this information before stating it as fact. It just doesn’t sound probable. A lady suggested glad rags as well, that sounded like a good idea too. Why aren’t people trying to really explore the feasibility of these other options? It is beginning to sound like a zimbabwean business person trying to profit from this situation rather than come up with the absolute solution.
March 8th, 2008 08:11
I found this site looking for a place to donate 100 or so cloth pads that I have hand made specially for the Zimbabwians. As I started reading I became very disheartened with all the work I had done as they are saying they dont want cloth pads but I decided to read on and through all of these comments.
I am not at all happy about disposable pads being the only solution they are willing to come up with. What about the environment? I mean who is really going to be here to care what they use for their periods when the world has died and theres no one left? all of the extra carbon being added to the atmosphere by them making disposable pads is only going to make it happen sooner. They are trying to solve one problem while ignoring another that is more important-global warming.
I do agree that it sounds like someone is going to benefiting monetarily by this…half of the things that have been said have already been discounted by a woman that actually lived there.
I am not impressed at all, yet I still feel pity for these women.
April 2nd, 2008 22:38
I will post the banner to my blog (http://2000seasons.blogspot.com).
April 7th, 2008 01:44
personally I think the mooncup or re-useable sanitary towels are the best way forward and I am confused as to why this is not what is being widely used in Zimbabwe or in the “Dignity” campaign. So there is a shortage of water in Zimbabwe - then surely the throwing away of millions of disposable sanitary pads is going to make the water shortage even worse? Or affect the environment extremely because most likely the pads won’t be properly disposed of, in proper sewage systems, if there is a lack of water.
I can understand that young girls might not want to use the mooncup or tampons, and I know that in the 1st world we could hardly expect 10 year olds to use insertable sanitary products, but this is the 3rd world we are talking about, there is no time for religious or social issues to come into this - surely the possible uncomfortableness of a mooncup is better than using disease-ridden newspaper? Millions of women in the developed world use mooncups and save ALOT of money and ALOT of landfill space - this is therefore the best option for a country where money is scarce and care for the environment is impossible when the people aren’t even cared for.
I just really hope the stories of using newspaper as tampons and such aren’t too widespread - every woman deserves to have dignity and comfort during her monthly flow, and - if true - I think it is disgusting that “MP’s” make humour of such important issues, I’d like to see their corrupt selves try and do hard-manual labour in the hot sweltering sun to care for their 10 starved children with blood pouring out of their unspeakables!
June 1st, 2008 14:12
thaxns for sharing ur concern abt zimbawe. it was pleasure to read the article and plenty to gain for
June 6th, 2008 19:04
added site