On the 29th of September, Qrate was invited to the book launch of the Tidi Talks Period Series. Tidi Talks is a guide for parents and the youth on the journey of menstruation, through storytelling.
Our Founder and Director Candice hosted two mini Menstruation workshops for kids which focused on fun-filled activities that kept the kiddies on their feet!
Facilitator Candice conducting an exercise with children
The workshop started with a cute animation video that seeks to explain what periods are from a simple perspective. Following that, a fun True or False exercise was played to test the kiddies’ knowledge of periods, with the final activity of the Alien Game where the kids got to explain each period product to Candice.
The Tidi Talks Launch was a fun-filled day that focused on young children, parents, and teachers learning about the importance of period education. Following the workshop, the guests were treated to a yoga workshop to learn about their bodies and after that, they listened to the insightful and engaging panel discussion by authors: Farah Fortune, Dr. Nokukhanya Khanyile, and Thandazile Ndvolu about their journey in writing this book.
Panel Discussion by the authors of Tidi Talks (Thandazile, Farah and Dr. Nokukhanya)
We are extremely excited that there is such a powerful, informative and relatable book that young children, parents, guardians, and teachers can rely on. We are super excited to be working alongside the Tidi Talks Team in the near future.
On the 28th of September, we hosted two menstruation workshops in ONE day. Our facilitators Felicia and Candice started the morning with a workshop at Brescia House in Bryanston for the girls of grade 7s, 8s, and 9s. As part of the Menstrual Project, Brescia House is committed to ending period poverty by donating period products to schools in need. Their teacher, Mrs. Williams is very passionate about the power of education and felt the need for the girls to learn about everything period related.
Brescia House Girls participating in Menstruation Workshop
The fun-filled and jam-packed workshop kickstarted with our fun icebreakers to ease the girls into the workshop. Following that a video took the participants on a visual journey of the experience of the first period in a world of full-fledged period positivity and support for periods. The workshop included an eye-opening quiz that assisted the participants to debunk numerous menstrual myths and taboos. This activity aided to contextualize the challenging circumstances that millions of menstruators face around the globe. Following that, the students were tasked with participating in a period poverty quiz that allowed them to understand the dire circumstances that menstruators in South Africa and the rest of the world have to face every single month. In our final activity, we did our favorite task the Alien Game where five girls were nominated to present period products and explain the use and purpose of each period product. In conclusion, the girls did a period pledge to remain committed to building a period-positive world.
Brescia House High School Teacher, Genevieve Savary-Williams thoroughly enjoyed the workshop in particular in highlighting the economic challenges menstruators faced in South Africa. She even discussed the plans for Bresica House to be involved in donating period products to other school organizations in Johannesburg in the upcoming future.
Facilitators Candice and Felicia with L.O and History Teacher: Genevieve Savary-Williams at Brescia House School
Later on in the day, we teamed up with The Pad Princess to deliver a quick menstruation workshop for the girls of Sparrow Combined Technical Skills School in Melville. The Pad Princess has recently launched their own dignity kits that include reusable pads, period underwear, and toiletries that young menstruators require when on their period. As part of their program, The Pad Princess team invited Qrate to deliver a presentation on understanding periods and in particular understanding how to take care of period products.
Felicia and Candice conducting a workshop at Sparrow Combined Technical Skills School
The girls of Sparrow Combined Technical Skills School had a lot of engaging and important questions which added to the positive mood of the workshop. Facilitators Candice and Felicia spent a lot of time going into the biological process of periods and in particular dispelling any myths and stigmas around period products.
We can confidently say that the girls of Sparrow Combined Technical Skills School and Brescia House are Edulifted about periods!
On Friday, the 9th of September, Qrate was invited to Waverly Girls High School to conduct another menstruation workshop for 1119 girl learners. Our facilitator Selo held it down with ease and great confidence in providing Eduliftment.
The workshop started with icebreakers, and following that, a menstruation quiz to test the girls’ knowledge of period health was conducted. Our popular Alien Game was done after that which is always an engaging and interactive part of the workshop with the learners asking a lot of questions about sustainable and alternative period products. The workshop ended off on a high note with the Qrate Period Pledge.
The teacher of Waverly Girls High, Priscilla Ratsoana was extremely grateful for Qrate to educate the girls on such a critical subject in an empowering and fun way. We are incredibly grateful to the Girls of Waverly High for giving us the space to build a period-positive world at their school!
Last week Tuesday (6th of September), we collaborated with Mina Cups (a local menstrual cup company) to deliver another fun-filled menstruation workshop for 102 girls in Diepsloot.
The Mina Cup Foundation is passionate about ending period poverty and addressing the issue of young menstruators having to miss school owing to their lack of access to menstrual products. Part of the foundation is to travel globally not only distributing Mina cups to schools but also empowering youth and young MENstruators through education and mentorship.
For this workshop, we conducted our fun #KnowYourFlo workshop where we taught and tested the young girls’ knowledge on period poverty. We started the session with fun icebreakers, then moved to our period true or false, finally ending with our popular Alien Game period product activity where facilitators (Candice and Emily) were tasked with presenting different period products to the girls. Following that, we ended off the workshop with our Qrate Menstrual Pledge and our Vagina Chant. To end the day, the girls were given beautiful goodie bags from Mina Cups and Diepsloot Mall!
Mina Cups is on a mission to Minarise the world and Qrate is happy to be apart of this mission in changing the world, one period at a time!
At Qrate, we value collaboration with organizations. On the 27th of August, the Qrate team (Mbali & Mogau) with the assistance of our Founder and Director (Candice Chirwa) delivered an interactive presentation on period education to the Ford Motor Company (FMC) female employees for their Women of Ford event.
Women of Ford Event
For Women’s Month, Ford (an automotive company) wanted to highlight the extraordinary women behind the #BuiltTough brand who are predominately responsible for creating the vehicles seen on South African roads. In addition to this celebration, Ford has made a ground-breaking feat by offering period products within their Ford factories and facilities through medical vending machines!
Women of Ford South Africa is an employee resource group dedicated to the unique needs of women of FMC. Their vision is the empowerment and development of women in the company by creating an inclusive environment that fosters female authenticity and equality for women. The day includes speeches from the Chief Financial Officer (Yota Baron), Ford’s FCSD Director (Maja Smith), and Ford’s Plant Material Flow Engineering Manager (Lesego Madiba) and we were graced by an amazing performance by Thandi who works at the Manufacturing facility!
Ford FCSD Director Maja Smith speaking to the crowd
Our mini workshop included a quick-fire quiz session, where we tested the Women of Ford employees’ knowledge on period poverty, and afterward, we conducted our popular Alien Game period product activity where 5 Ford employees were tasked with presenting different period products to the rest of the group. Following that, we ended off the workshop with our Qrate Menstrual Pledge and our Vagina Chant. In honoring our partnership with Ford, we donated a copy of Flow: The Book About Menstruation to the Ford Library to ensure the employees have access to menstrual education outside of the workshop. Social Media Lead, Londeka Mkhize thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and the passion and dedication the Qrate Team provided on the day.
Facilitators Candice & Mbali conducting the Period Poverty Quiz
We’d like to thank the Ford Motor Company for honoring us and their employees in ensuring a period-positive environment at their facilities!
