Operational research on MHM Kits for Emergencies - Case study from Bwagiriza refguee camp, Burundi, 2013
Chelsea GILESHANSEN
Dear All,
In late 2012, the IFRC developed and initiated an operational research project around Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in emergencies. The project focused on understanding the needs of women and adolescent girls around menstruation in a humanitarian context. Two types of MHM kit were designed for personal use: MHM Kit A (disposable sanitary pads) and MHM Kit B (reusable/washable sanitary pads).
Evidence based trials were conducted in Bwagiriza refugee camp in Burundi, to determine the appropriateness, acceptability and value of the two types of MHM kits.
We would like to share with you a short case study documenting the methods, key results and recommendations as part of this MHM in Emergencies pilot project. A regional scale-up of MHM activities is ongoing in 2014, including additional field trials of the MHM kits in Uganda, Somalia and Madagascar as well as capacity building for staff and development of participatory tools for MHM.
The case study and IEC materials that were developed (available in English, French, Kiswahili and Kirundi) can also be download from here: watsanmissionassistant.wikispaces.com/Menstrual+Hygiene+Management
The full project report can be shared upon request.
Best regards,
Chelsea
Chelsea Giles-Hansen
Water and Sanitation Delegate
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Eastern Africa and Indian Ocean Islands Regional Representation
Woodlands Road | PO Box 41275 - 00100 | Nairobi | Kenya
Ph. +254 20 2835 000 | Dir. +254 20 2835 128 | Mob. +254 736 880 021 | Fax. +254 20 2712 777
E-mail chelsea.g...@ifrc.org | Skype chelsea_gh
Saving lives, changing minds.
Find out more on www.ifrc.org
Check out the IFRC WatSan Wikispace for hundreds of useful resources, guidelines and materials!
Sarah
Hi Chelsea and team,
Thanks so much for sharing this. This is really great to see the summary of learning from these trials. This is a very important piece of research for learning more about what is appropriate or otherwise from women and girls themselves in emergency contexts.
It is particularly valuable because you have allowed women and girls of different ages to try out and give feedback on different options, have the baseline and are planning to undertake more research in different contexts.
One question. In the recommendations section it is noted that 'buckets should not be replaced by basins (for privacy, more appropriate for washing pads and underwear, soaking pads and storage)'. Can I ask if the bucket shown in the picture was distributed specifically with the kits for this specific purpose? And if so was it different in colour or other feature to separate it from the water collection and storage containers? I am aware that the protection sector actors sometimes provide a container such as a small bucket with lid, in their dignity kits for this purpose, but that I think mostly the WASH sector focuses mainly on containers for water storage and collection. Sphere does not include a bowl for washing clothes and certainly not for washing or soaking personal items such as underwear and sanitary pads. I have heard feedback before (although I have to admit at this moment I forget from where) that women feel uncomfortable to wash their sanitary items in the same container that they wash their dishes in. I would also add that if we are to be taking the issue of dignity seriously that we should also be concerned if we are only providing containers for water use, as washing or soaking sanitary pads in water storage or collection containers is also quite disturbing as well as potential implications for water quality. It would be interesting to learn more about the women and girl's opinions on the types of containers provided and whether they were able to keep them specifically for this purpose, and if not what they would suggest to be able to help them to?
One other thought. Although I think that this research is already extremely valuable as it stands, I wonder if it might also be possible at some point to also have a three strand research at some point to include a) disposable, b) reusable pads, c) cloth (probably some form of cotton flannel cloth) plus the associated items.
I would be interested to see the whole report if it is possible. Thanks for the offer.
I hope that the learning that the IFRC and National Societies are doing on this issue will encourage others to also increase their learning on these issues so that we can get to the point where the humanitarian sector can be more confident that's its support on this issue is appropriate.
Great work!
Best wishes,
Sarah
Sarah House
Independent Consultant
Transitional, development & humanitarian contexts
Public health engineering, water, sanitation, hygiene
Gender, vulnerable groups, inclusion, menstrual hygiene
Capacity development, training
Collaboration, partnerships
Leicester, UK
Landline: +44-116-251 4493
Mobile: +44-743-211 3939
SKYPE: sjhouse.majisafi
Email: sjhouse....@gmail.com
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Chelsea GILESHANSEN
Hi Sarah
Many thanks for your message and thoughts! We also hope that the work can guide and be useful for others in the humanitarian sector, to improve collectively the way we address MHM.
The buckets (blue colour; with lid; 7 L capacity) were distributed specifically with the MHM kits for washing pads and underwear. They were much smaller in size (they all have 20 L water containers) and different colour compared to the water containers. All the women and girls we talked to reported using the blue buckets for washing pads and underwear, and sometimes clothes. Some would also store baby items or personal items in them in their houses when they didn’t need them for washing pads. A few others used the buckets for carrying baby items or medicine to and from the health clinic.
Because the men in the camp were aware of the MHM project and associated the blue buckets with “women’s issues”, they all reported it was ‘impossible’ for them to use the buckets for collecting water or for storing food inside the house. It was unacceptable to use the same container (for water/food and for washing sanitary/personal items), just as it was completely unacceptable for anyone to see bloody/brown water from washing pads (due to poor draining around the bathing areas etc. they would put the water down the toilet pit). Distributing re-usable/washable pads without any appropriate bucket/basin other than the ones they use to collect water or wash dishes in can create more issues/problems and make it very difficult for the women and girls to wash the pads (e.g. not being able to wash the pads regularly so they have enough dry ones to continue using during their period, washing them in the river or not washing them very well, privacy and protection issues etc.). The “supplementary” items were really valuable (small bucket, rope and pegs etc.) compared to simply distributing pads and underwear and hoping that women and girls will be able to wash, care for and dispose properly. Thanks again for your great thoughts!
Happy to send the full report but it is quite heavy – so instead of overloading everyone’s inboxes I will send it directly to your email!
All the best
Chelsea
Sarah
Hi Chelsea,
That's great thanks so much for the further details.
This all makes sense and is in line with other more anecdotal things I have heard re containers for washing pads and underwear, so it's great that the IFRC/National Societies' study has gone into these details more systematically. Very valuable learning, that is all the more valuable because it has been documented and shared.
I look forward to reading the full report.
Many thanks to your whole team.
Best wishes,
Sarah
rachel.t...@gmail.com
As a commercial re-usable sanitary towel manufacturer, we are critically looking into the needs of refugees and residents of IDP camps/settlements.
Here is a link to our 2015 Product Guide
Please pass me to the right personnel in IFRC to discuss
Chelsea Giles-Hansen
Thanks for your message and information. I'm no longer with IFRC in East Africa - Vinay (copied in these mails) and George (Watsan.E...@ifrc.org) are the contact people for MHM in the Nairobi office.
All the best
Chelsea