Launching the Menstrual Hygiene Management Project in Lunzu, Malawi

A new six-month initiative at Ntenjera Community Day Secondary School aims to keep girls in class and in control of their health by tackling the menstrual hygiene gap that has been keeping them away.

Monthly attendance records show that the attendance rate for girls, particularly in the older classes drops to as low as 30% at month-end, primarily due to the unavailability of essential school supplies.

Furthermore, over 300 girls from low-income households struggle to access reusable sanitary pads and 32 girls dropped out of the school entirely during the 2023–2024 school year. Poverty and the inability to afford sanitary supplies are among the key contributing factors.

Think Malawi is working with Mzati Youth Organisation launch a Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) project to directly address these barriers. Funded through Think Malawi's grants programme, the project will be implemented at Ntenjera CDSS and the surrounding community over the coming six months.

What the project will deliver:

• Renovation of six girls’ wash and changing rooms providing safe facilities for over 600 students.

• Establishment of reusable sanitary pad production through providing sewing machines and training for local mother groups.

• Distribution of free annual packs of reusable sanitary pads to adolescent girls aged 13-24.

• Production of at least 250 school uniforms to support girls’ access to education.

• Community awareness campaigns targeting boys, men and women to reduce stigma and harmful myths around menstruation.

By the end of the project, we aim to reduce absences due to lack of sanitary pads from 30% to 5% at Ntenjera CDSS, ensuring that more girls attend school consistently throughout the year.

Sustainability is central to the project’s approach. These initiatives provide a long-term impact by equipping the community thereby avoiding the need to rely on continued external funding.

Income generated from these initiatives through small-scale businesses will support girls’ education by contributing to the maintenance of the sewing machines and procurement of essential materials like cloth, plastic paper, and threads for continued pad production.

By empowering the community through their involvement in volunteering in the renovations of washrooms and instilling a sense of ownership, the project will remain impactful and sustainable beyond its implementation period, creating lasting benefits for girls and their communities.

You can stay updated through our social media such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X or join our monthly newsletter.

Today, it would be great if you donate to celebrate International Women’s Day. Any donation, big or small, would be incredibly helpful and very gratefully received!