Hello Qraters!
On the 9th and 10th of February, our facilitators Felicia, Mogau, Slu, and Candice kickstarted our Period Positive Tour in Brits and Bethanie to conduct four menstrual health workshops for a whooping four schools! During our first Period Positive Tour leg, 150 girls were edulifted to see their periods in a positive light.
Day 1: Brits, Gauteng
We started our tour in Brits, holding two eventful workshops in Mohajane and Motlake Primary Schools. The students got to participate in our interactive workshop that informed them about the female reproductive system, various period products, and how to be period positive individuals!
The students were fully immersed in the workshop as they learned a great deal about periods and the female body. There were a lot of light bulb moments were we all debunked period taboos in our true and false educational quiz and when we introduced various period products and their applications.
Our workshops are a two-way street, where the facilitators and students both contribute to creating value in the conversations held in the workshops. During our workshops we aim to create a comfortable space where our participants can freely share their thoughts, ideas and feelings because we all can learn from each other’s experiences.
Day 2: Bethanie, North West
Our next stop was the North West province, where we visited Bethanie Primary School and Dimapo Primary School.
Our facilitators showed the students the different parts of the female reproductive system and their functions. During this session the students got to see how how the menstrual cycle occurs in relation to changes within the female reproductive system.
Team work is the dream work: Our facilitators alongside the students collaboratively demonstrated how to use various period products ranging from pads, tampons to menstrual cups. This was an important session because it allowed the students to practically learn how to use different menstrual products to comfortably manage their menstruation.
All our workshops closed with the students taking their period pledge, vowing to talk openly about periods so they are part of the change in breaking the chain of stigma towards periods. At Qrate, we are all about spreading period positivity with all the students we engage with.
We would like to give a special thank you to the students and teachers of Bethanie, Dimapo, Mohajane and Motlake Primary Schools. We are estatic to have started our Period Positive tour with you! Thank you for being engaging, inquisitive, and open to learning more about your bodies and periods.
Remember that being open about the topic of menstruation is feeling comfortable yourself while breaking social period taboos others in society.
This year Qrate is going on a period tour all across South Africa. If any schools or youth organisations would like to get involved or be a part in the period positive tour, please email info@qrate.co.za