MAF PNG’s Siobhain Cole embarks on a transformative mission to provide re-usable sanitary kits to grade 12 girls in Telefomin.
Educating all the female Telefomin boarding and day-release students about their periods and giving re-usable sanitary kits to each one of them is a mission that MAF PNG’s Siobhain Cole set out to do this year. The Telefomin Secondary School has about 500 students of which one third are girls.
In March, Siobhain ran the first workshop for the 27 grade 12 girls and five female teachers. The workshop aimed to provide re-usable sanitary kits, easing their burdens and worries during their final year of school as Siobhain explained.
It is a small thing for us in the West, but for these girls here looking at their faces, this is such an enormous blessing.
“They have the big exams. They're going to be determining the rest of their lives this year. We wanted to be able to give them these re-usable sanitary kits. One less pressure, one less worry that they would have to think about for this year,” she said.
Living in Telefomin with her husband, MAF pilot Ryan Cole, for six years, by investing in local friendships and learning about life’s challenges from her local friends, Siobhain understands the importance of addressing menstrual health. Access to sanitary products is limited and, if available, very expensive. Re-usable sanitary kits can alleviate financial strain for the girls over time.
"If they look after it, it could last them for two or three years. This could save them up to about 100 AUD, which is a huge amount of money over three years for these young girls,” Siobhain said.
The workshop not only provided essential knowledge and resources but also fostered a sense of community among the girls. Facilitating the workshops, Siobhain had help from her local friends Joyce and Vero, in educating the young women about menstrual hygiene and how to look after the re-usable sanitary pads to make them last longer. Joyce and Vero shared valuable insights and emphasized the importance of proper hygiene practices.
"They have been able to touch the lives of dozens of these young girls in their areas,” Siobhain said.
Mr Dokan, the school's principal is in full support of the workshop and recognized its importance.
“He was so enthusiastic, as we shared with him some of the stories from having given kits away in other locations. He understood and he shared our passion and enthusiasm,” said Siobhain.
These workshops wouldn’t be possible without the broader support from donors worldwide, whose contributions made the initiative possible, people who select beautiful fabric and are sewing it into these pads, people who mail or hand carry it to Papua New Guinea and finally MAF planes flying them to remote Telefomin, a district centre not connected to any roads or rivers. Addressing those who made these workshops possible, Siobhian highlights the difference they make for the girls.
"It is a small thing for us in the West, but for these girls here looking at their faces, this is such an enormous blessing. For these girls in grade 12 who are doing their exams, this year, their marks may be a few grades higher because of that one less pressure that you have taken off their shoulders," Siobhain said.
There’s a profound impact of the workshop on the girls' well-being and educational prospects. Through education and access to menstrual hygiene resources, this initiative empowers girls to focus on their studies without the added burden of menstrual health concerns. Siobhain's and her friends’ dedication to improving the lives of girls in remote Telefomin serves as a testament to the transformative power of grassroots initiatives and global solidarity.