Kalkidan Aderajew age 14, Feven Lemma age 14, Zayad Melkamu age 15 and Berke Belay age 16 are students composed from 7th and 8th grades who have easily made sanitary pad by themselves at Libe Fanna primary school. As most students come from poor family, girls at the school cannot afford to buy sanitary pads from the market. Kalkidan, and others said that before the CSE&I project intervene at their school, they did not have adequate information and knowledge on sexuality education and even sanitary pad preparation and utilization. Their parents do not support them as they have no skill and relevant awareness and knowledge on SRH issues and alternative solutions including how to make homemade sanitary pad. They added that it is difficult to talk about sexuality issues with family at home and with friends at school because of misconception about menstrual cycle. At times they were forced to stay absent from school during menstruation as they have no one to understand their situation to support them.
After they received SRH related information and homemade sanitary pads skill training, Kalkidan, and others have easily made sanitary pad that portray easy access to all girls at the school and also to their family members. They are all exited while making the pads by just simply using any type of cloths they already have at their home. They are now shared their experiences and skill for other peers at school and at their village. Kalkidan and others further said: “We are grateful to Hiwot Ethiopia and the CSE&I project. The CSE&I project increased our knowledge on sexual and reproductive health issues and that made easy and affordable access to sanitary pad at home and at school including open discussion about menstruation with peers and parents and use of it without any fear. We are able to regularly attend our education with confidence. Our gender club members are skilled with sanitary pad making that made easy to train others. Above all teachers are skilled to make sanitary pad with the application of sewing machines. Hiwot has availed sewing machines and materials to produce sanitary pads at our school. We have started to make sanitary pads guided by our lead teachers to enable easy access and use by our fellow girls.”