Nkhaniyi idatuluka mu New Vision, Newspaper yotsogolera ku Uganda

Margaret Dipio, wa zaka 43, adachoka ku South Sudan mu 2014 ndipo adayikidwa kumalo othawa kwawo a Boroli m'boma la Adjumani, kumpoto kwa Uganda. Pokhala pakati pa unyinji wa anthu a zikhalidwe zosiyanasiyana, posakhalitsa, Dipio anazindikira malingaliro angapo a mafuko okhudza kusamba. Limodzi mwa zikhulupiriro zomwe ankakumana nazo linali lakuti msambo ndi vuto linalake lobadwa nalo, choncho mtsikana amadzipatula nthawi yonse yomwe ali ndi mwezi. Mtsikanayo sayembekezeredwa kukhudza chiwiya chilichonse, osaperekanso moni kwa aliyense.

Ponseponse, amawonedwa ngati wauve komanso woyipitsitsa ngati nthawi yake ibwera ndi ululu, imalumikizidwa ndi temberero la makolo. Kumudzi wa ku Boroli, zikhalidwe zina zimakhulupilira kuti msungwana m'nyengo yake yosamba ayenera kukhala ndi dzenje lolingana ndi kukula kwa kumbuyo kwake, lomwe amayenera kukhalapo kwa masiku osasamba mpaka mwezi wake utatha.

Zikhulupiriro zomwe zili pamwambazi zikusonyeza kuti palibe amene ayenera kukhudza magazi amene angotuluka kumene, kuopera kuti angadzachititse mtsikana kukhala wosabereka m'tsogolo. Chifukwa chake, malangizo okhwima akhazikitsidwa kuti izi zitheke. Umu ndimomwemonso nthano zakale zonena za kusamba zomwe Dipio ndi ena ochepa akufuna kukumana nazo chifukwa chakuipidwa kwambiri ndi anthu osamala za mdera lawo.

Pokhala ndi chiyembekezo chochepa, Dipio ndi ena anayamba kulankhula ndi maganizo ndi atsogoleri achipembedzo ponena za kufunika kwa malingaliro olakwika ameneŵa okhudza kusamba. Gululi linayendera sukulu ndi mipingo kukakambirana za ukhondo wa msambo, komanso kutsindika kufunika koti anthu azisiya miyambo yomwe imalepheretsa amayi ku Boroli othawa kwawo komanso padziko lonse lapansi.

“Azimayi ena amaopa kuuza amuna awo za kugulira atsikana awo ma sanitary pads,” adatero Dipio.

[Dipio ndi mphunzitsi wa FARM STEW Uganda, Non-Governmental Organisation ndi cholinga chokweza thanzi ndi moyo wa mabanja osauka ndi anthu omwe ali pachiwopsezo.]

“Tikasonkhana pamodzi kulima ndiwo zamasamba, timakambanso za mavuto amene amayi akukumana nawo m’dera lathu,” adatero Dipio. Iwo amayendera sukulu za pulaimale m’derali makamaka atsikana a m’Chisanu ndi chiwiri kukakambirana nawo za ukhondo wa msambo.

Dipio imaperekanso maphunziro kwa atsikana kugwiritsa ntchito bwino ukhondo. Iye akuti mauthenga awo pang'onopang'ono akulowa m'ming'alu ya zolepheretsa chikhalidwe cha anthu. “Ambiri akusiya pang’onopang’ono makhalidwe oipa,” iye anatero.

Nkhondo yawo yolimbana ndi malingaliro okhudzana ndi kusamba, komabe, ikulepheretsedwa ndi umphawi wapakhomo m'madera othawa kwawo.

“Mabanja ena sangakwanitse kugulira ana awo aakazi ma sanitary pads,” adatero Dipio.

Pasukulu ya pulayimale ya Boroli, mphunzitsi wamkulu wa amayi, Harriet Walea, adati atsikanawo, makamaka akumudzi, amakonda kuphonya maphunziro akasowa ma sanitary pads omwe amaperekedwa ndi mabungwewo. Si makolo onse amene angakwanitse kugula mapepalawo, choncho “mwachionekere amapewa kuphunzira pa nthawi ya kusamba,” anatero Walea.

Boroli adalembetsa atsikana opitilira 497 koyambirira kwa 2019, Walea akuti chiwerengerochi chidatsika mu gawo lachiwiri. Pafupifupi theka la atsikana amaphonya makalasi tsiku lililonse, omwe amaphonya m'makalasi apamwamba. "Tikukayikira kuti amachoka chifukwa chakusamba," adatero Walea.

Kampani ya AFRIpads, yomwe imapanganso zopangira ukhondo, yapereka [mapaketi] 200 a sanitary pads ku FARM STEW kuti awagawire ku Boroli Primary School pa kampeni yotchedwa “My period, My Voice”.

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