Akeer:“Menstruation has had a negative effect on the education of girls.”

South Sudanese former refugee, international model, mother of three, Akeer Chut Deng who came to Australia 22 years is now championing a new cause. to help vulnerable South Sudanese girls who are faced with challenges of menstrual hygiene. As the war continues, many young girls are left vulnerable and their health became the least topic to parents because of the economic situations, cultural taboos and many other things. Akeer initiated a Freedom Pads Project and used social media was the main tool to help pass the message.

Girls in class Source: Supplied

In a message posted on go fund men's page, the goal for the Freedom Pads Project is, Our goal for this project is to provide hygienic sanitary pads to at least 12,800 school girls in South Sudan, over 32 States for our first distribution. We are aware that the number of school girls may be higher than the above-mentioned number but we will first aim to target the girls in rural areas.

 

We manage to talk to Akeer in Brisbane and said that refugee camps and displaced areas in South Sudan will be their first target. According to UNC Gillings School of Global public health, in South Sudanese, 70% of girls at the age of puberty use reusable or unsafe ways to manage their menstrual hygiene.

In the same interview, SBS Dinka Akeer said, This issue has many health implications and also played a role in early marriage, or even girls drop out of schools. Many of these young girls are neglected and their families cant help either. Here is the interview with Akeer