Millions of adolescent African girls miss school each month because they do not have access to sanitary wear, lack accurate menstruation information and experience sexual and reproductive health challenges. Since many girls do not have access to sanitary wear, they resort to using newspapers, pieces of cloth, shreds of foam mattresses, and toilet paper. These methods are vastly unbearable, painful, uncomfortable, and unhygienic and position adolescent girls at risk of diseases. On average, these girls miss approximately a week of school every month. This results in them falling behind and ultimately dropping out of school. Dropping out of school puts the girls at the precariousness of teenage marriages and pregnancies, which come with health problems.

In impoverished African communities, it is usually the norm that teachers and parents are uncomfortable talking about menstruation, sex and reproductive health. This results in adolescent girls developing a sense of mortification, discomfort and a need for secrecy around menstruation

SAYWEN’s mandate is to combat stigma and difficulties encircling menstruation by providing free sanitary wear and reproductive health, hygiene, puberty and sexual education. SAYWEN also endeavours to kick off conversations encompassing menstruation to fight the stigma. Trained facilitators deliver SAYWEN’s reproductive health, hygiene, puberty and sexual education programme to girls-only meetings held during the time allocated for extra-curricular activities in schools. The programme covers various topics, including puberty, reproductive health, hygiene, sexual education, self-confidence, self-esteem, gender, sexual violence, decision-making, relationships, teen pregnancy, STIs, HIV and AIDS, peer pressure, and drug use.