Hello Qraters!

With the new year already in full motion, we are honoured to have hosted our first workshop of 2023 with Noordwyk Secondary School. Our founder and director, Candice Chirwa, facilitated an exciting and educational menstrual talk and workshop with 200 Grade 8 and 9 students.

The early morning workshop was kickstarted with icebreakers to get the girls comfortable with freely speaking about periods. These ice-breakers opened a dialogue that allowed the students to express their opinions and views on periods. Next, the students participated in a vagina mediation session that literally knocked two birds with one stone because it first had the students stretched and warmed up for the day, and secondly, the vagina mediation taught the students the different parts of the female reproductive system.

Following that, the students took part in a True or False educational quiz that questioned the young girls about the basics of periods, period products, and debunking period taboos. The true or false quiz highlighted the sheer magnitude of the menstrual inequality world in regard to mainstreaming access to period products, menstrual health, and menstrual education. Then, the students participated in a period product alien game where they practically partook in peer-to-peer learning about different period products and their applications. 

The workshop 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 and people we engage with.

We received great feedback from teacher Martha, the Head of Department of Life Orientation at Noordwyk Secondary School, stating that she was very happy with the workshop as it offered an interactive and enjoyable platform for her students to learn about mensuration. Watch the video below to hear teacher Martha’s full reflection on the workshop.

We would also like to give a special thank you and a big shout-out to SkinBodyRenewal and Konami Girl for their generous donation of 200 packs of reusable Konami pads to the Grade 8 students. Your partnership and relentless commitment to addressing period product access is part of the driving force that continues to push and inspire the period community to continue to strive for greater reach in addressing menstrual inequality and mainstreaming menstrual education.

To the Noordwyk Secondary School 8th and 9th Graders, teachers, and teacher Martha (HOD of Life Orientation/ SBSG Co-ordinator), you were phenomenal! Thank you for engaging and adding value to the workshop. As we pledged, remember to talk about periods because our periods are power. And that’s on, period!

This year Qrate is going on a period tour all across South Africa. If you would like your organization to experience the Qrate Menstruation Workshop, please email info@qrate.org.za