Help end period poverty
This Sunday, students will gather to make reusable menstrual products for Zambian women and girls.
CSB+SJU students have an opportunity to aid the ending of period poverty for women and girls in Zambia.
Join nursing students and staff this Sunday from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. in BAC A66 (the costume shop) in creating reusable menstrual products for women and girls suffering from period poverty in Zambia. Students can help with sewing, cutting, ironing and applying snaps on handmade reusable pads.
Period poverty—which refers to the lack of access to menstrual products, hygiene facilities, waste management and education surrounding menstruation—affects over 500 million women worldwide. This is an issue that disproportionately affects women and girls in low-income areas, especially in developing countries. Because people in these communities have restricted access to period products, they must buy them in bulk when they can, making them economically vulnerable and unable to afford necessities.
Mary Zelenak, a professor from the nursing department, was first introduced to this issue in the spring of 2023 when the nursing department began participating in a short-term study abroad trip to Zambia.
“We learned that many girls are not able to go to school when they have their periods due to lack of menstrual supplies,” Zelenak said. “Girls then miss school [and] fall behind, and this creates economic disparities.”
The nursing department works with African Impact, a volunteer organization based in Cape Town, South Africa, that reaches across the African continent. Zelenak took part in various conversations about period poverty and the effects on the women and girls of Zambia with the staff at African Impact. These conversations inspired her to bring this project to the St. Ben’s and St. John’s campuses.
“African Impact has distributed menstrual hygiene kits and held menstrual hygiene workshops before,” Zelenak said. “When we are in Zambia, we will continue this project.”
This issue is not unique to Zambia, but the nursing department’s connection with the Zambian branch of African Impact allows the CSB+SJU community to work closely with them. On campus, the project started with a small group led by nursing student Natalie McDonald. “I thought it was a really cool idea,” she said. “[The group] has grown exponentially due to people in our community caring deeply and wanting to help out.”
The sisters from the Order of Saint Benedict (OSB) have been aiding in cutting out patterns for the reusable pads, while friends, family, faculty and staff have donated materials and resources to the project.
Amelia Cheever, from CSB+SJU’s theater department, has donated her space in the theater’s costume shop for the students to gather on Sunday to make the menstrual products.
This will be the first time CSB+SJU has hosted an event like this, but the coordinators have planned an identical event for Oct. 20 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. for students who are unable to attend this one.
