The most POWERFUL THING a girl can have

Ayoung girl starts her period for the first time. If she were in the UK, she would probably know what that meant, go and tell her mum and have easy access to the sanitary products she needs. She might feel nervous, but she knows she’ll be okay. For a girl in Guinea, the story is completely different. In all likelihood, a young girl starting her period will have no idea what is happening to her. She wouldn’t know where to start looking for resources that will help her understand the changes happening to her body. She might think she’s sick. She might think she’s dying. Fortunately, your support is helping change that.

Millions of women and girls across the world are impacted by period poverty. Lacking something as small as sanitary products can have drastic effects on a girl’s future – a recent UNESCO report estimates that one in ten girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss school during their period. And like in many parts of the world, girls in Guinea are at risk of missing out on a bright future for one simple reason: no-one talks about periods. “I would say [sex education] does not exist at all [in Guinea],” says BMS World Mission worker Caroline*. And because girls are so undereducated about their periods, they will often use whatever rags, paper or even plastic they can find when their periods start. But the lack of education can have more drastic consequences than just using unhygienic sanitary products. For many young girls in Guinea, the only thing expected of them is to get married and have children – but

In Guinea, many girls will get married before the age of 18 this often means being pulled out of school early, sometimes as young as 14. It might be difficult to know how to help young girls when faced with a context like this. But for Caroline, starting a conversation about periods was the first step.

When a colleague of Caroline’s had to leave Guinea, she left 1,000 period kits from the organisation ‘Days for Girls’ for Caroline to use. The kits contain reusable sanitary pads, wash cloths, soap and new underwear, and are designed to help teach girls about their periods. Having trained as a nurse, Caroline knew that she was well-equipped to start the period conversation with girls in her local community, and began reaching out to local schools to start running ‘biology lessons’ for the female students.

Many of the girls are apprehensive and shy at first but Caroline makes the sessions fun and engaging, getting the girls involved and encouraging them to ask whatever questions they have. They cover things like anatomy, how the menstrual cycle actually works and how to use and care for the period kits they get at the end of the session. And, crucially, Caroline also explains how important their education is and encourages them not to leave school prematurely if they can. And at the end of each session, the change is always dramatic. “They’re so excited,” Caroline says. Her husband, Victor*, joined Caroline for a session once, and said afterwards, “I saw them walk away with such a smile on their faces, and so proud, with dignity.”

While the immediate feedback from Caroline’s sessions is positive, it’s hard to know how much her teaching sticks. Guinean society’s expectations of these girls remains the same. But, equipped with a little more knowledge, the girls can see that they don’t need to be ashamed or afraid of their periods – and they’re shown that they can achieve so much more than society tells them they can. “My hope for them,” says Caroline, “is that when they have kids themselves, especially girls, that they remember that there was somebody who came to school and talked about these taboo topics. And how important it is that there’s a change in mindset.”

A young girl in Guinea starts her period for the first time but, rather than feeling fear, she understands what’s happening. She has friends she can share her experiences with, comfortable and clean products that she can use, she knows she’s not dying. And that’s an incredibly powerful thing: one girl, equipped with knowledge, has the power to change the perspective of a nation. • *Names changed.

God’s powerful justice

You’re making Caroline’s work possible by praying for and supporting BMS work in Guinea. Thank you for sharing God’s heart for justice, and please keep praying that women and girls across the world will be free from the constraints of period poverty.