This year’s International Youth Day celebration focuses on “transforming education.” It will look into the efforts of governments, young people, youth organizations, and other stakeholders in changing education for the better.
Right now, there are 1.8 billion youth aged 10 to 24 around the world. Huge number, right?
But what’s really alarming here is the fact that half of children and adolescents aged 6 to 14 are not equipped with basic reading and math skills.
We all know that education plays an important role in youth development.
In fact, United Nations sees education as a “development multiplier” given that it “plays a pivotal role in accelerating progress across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, be it poverty eradication, good health, gender equality, decent work and growth, reduced inequalities, action on climate or peaceful societies.”
It just makes sense that we aim for more inclusive and equitable education and at the same time ensure lifelong learning opportunities for everyone, as mentioned in Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development, which was actually the basis for International Youth Day 2019’s theme.
Of course, International Youth Day matters to us at Sinaya Cup.
As a brand that sells menstrual cups in the Philippines, we acknowledge the power of education, as well as its ability to empower individuals so they can unleash their full potential.
We have been committed to making our small but sincere contribution to our local educational system with our very own CUPacity Caravan.
When we began, we came up with a buy-one-give-one business model, through which we began giving away free menstrual cups to underprivileged menstruating individuals.
However, as time went by, we realized that we could take this initiative a notch higher by also conducting seminars so we could also talk about reproductive health, as well as period management.
This way, we thought, we could help address some of the most concerning challenges faced by young individuals, especially students, regarding menstruation and reproductive health. After all, these problems often keep them from excelling academically.
In fact, quite a number of girls around the world still miss school because of their period. A report by UNESCO even estimates that one in every 10 girls in Sub-Sahanran Africa cannot not go to school during their menstrual cycle.
Moreover, they need to deal with a lot of challenges, including the following:
Stigma surrounding menstruation
Menstruation is still stigmatized in the country, even in schools. Stories about young women being teased having a period, usually by their male peers, are not new to us at all.
No wonder, menstruating students normally deal with periods in silence in order to avoid period-shaming.
Insufficient knowledge about the nature of menstruation and reproductive health
Sadly, many people are still ignorant about the science behind menstruation and reproductive health in general. Besides fueling further stigma and myths, these ignorant beliefs also endanger individuals.
Without ample information on the true nature of menstruation and reproduction, some individuals may be more prone to making uninformed decisions concerning their bodies.
Unsafe sex practices are just some of them. Apart from unwanted pregnancy, which remains to be a problem in the country, these young individuals may also be exposed to sexually transmitted diseases.
When untreated, these diseases may lead to complications that won’t just endanger their lives but also delay their plans in life.
Health risks linked to poor menstrual hygiene
Poor period hygiene can also lead to a range of health problems, such as infection of the reproductive tract, urinary tract infection, yeast infection, and hepatitis B. It is also linked to a higher risk of cervical cancer.
Also, it is worth noting that knowing about menstrual health can be a great start to get to know more about one’s body.
In many cases, women use their menstruation as a vital sign, meaning they are able to detect symptoms of certain diseases just by paying attention to their menstruation. It’s a great way of protecting themselves and making sure that they can get the medical attention they need before their condition worsens.
We are sure that a lot of young menstruating individuals are very eager to learn and transform their lives through education.
But, how can they perform well at school if they are hampered by problems such as these, to begin with? Those from low-income families and underprivileged communities are even more affected.
It is for this reason that we at Sinaya Cup are very eager to push our CUPacity Caravan. And since we are also giving away free menstrual cups to students, we are also providing them more efficient and more eco-friendly alternatives to the period products they are currently using.
How can you help?
With every purchase of a menstrual cup from us, you are actually helping us fund our CUPacity Caravan sessions. That is definitely one great way to help.
You may also become a volunteer. We are currently in need of extra hands as our sessions go in full swing. Sponsors are also welcome. To know more about how you can help, Facebook page.
