October 24, 2019 is Period Awareness Day, an initiative started by author, activist and founder of HerFlow Foundation Shelly-Ann Weeks, to combat the stigma and shame associated with periods. The theme for Period Awareness Day this year is #IAmPeriodProud, which is an effort to directly focus on addressing period shame. So many women and girls are taught to keep their periods a shameful little secret and ensure that they don’t offend civilised people with their menstruation. People around the world reeled when they got the news of the suicide of a young Kenyan girl because of period shame.
The activities planned for Period Awareness Day is focused on normalising conversations about periods and creating a more open attitude towards this natural bodily function. They include:
- Flashmob in Half-Way Tree with placards with period positive phrases. Every school and woman wearing something red will be given a period kit courtesy of sponsors: Kotex, Cetamol Menstrual and Lasco Curves.
- Miss Kitty Live Outside Broadcast at MegaMart Waterloo, where customers will be encouraged to come and purchase menstrual products to donate towards HerFlow’s drive to end period poverty in Jamaica.
- Social media activities include posting photos and videos using the #IAMPeriodProud tag. Users are also encouraged to follow @herflow to win prizes on social media.
Since the beginning of the year, HerFlow has donated over 70,000 period kits to schools and the women’s prison, and they are on track to reach over 100,000 kits donated for 2019. So on October 24, wear something red, take a photo with a menstrual product, post it on social media using the tag #IAmPeriodProud. Then donate some menstrual products for those who are affected by period poverty.
To participate or make a donation, contact HerFlow at embraceherflow@gmail.com or call 876-798-0820.
