UWI Mona Guild VPSSP launches drive to tackle period poverty
Vanassa McKenzie / Our Today
editor
The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Guild Vice President of Services and Special Projects (VPSSP) Committee recently launched a period poverty drive to provide sanitary products to female students on campus.
Jhe’Vonte Webster, vice president of services and special projects, outlined that the drive is aimed at installing sanitary dispensers across the university’s faculties to provide sanitary products to female students.
“The main aim for us this year is to actually purchase sanitary napkin dispensers to be installed in female bathrooms across campus. Ideally, we want to install seven dispensers this year and then, hopefully in the coming years, the other vice presidents will continue,” he said.
He noted that the drive will provide assistance to females who may not be able to afford sanitary napkins free of cost or at an affordable price depending on the machines purchased.
“Ideally the concept is that people who are unable to afford sanitary napkins or tampons can access it free of cost or depending on the machine we receive its either free of cost or sold at reduced price such as $20 or so on to ensure they are able to access these products readily,” he said.
Webster also noted that the aim is to install the dispensers by March 2023.
He also urged corporate Jamaica to partner with the Guild to have a wider reach in assisting students.
“We are pleading to our corporate sponsors to come onboard to help us support our women, our children, our girls. This project is not just about supporting girls but also educating our male society about the prevalence of this plague that we are currently facing,” he noted.
He further indicated that, while it may not be realistic to end period poverty, the aim of the drive is to put a dent in the issue.
Persons who are interested in making donations to the drive can drop off donations at the UWI, Mona Guild office located at the Students’ Union. Donations such as sanitary napkins and tampons can be donated to the drive.
Period poverty is defined as the lack of access to sanitary products due to financial constraints.
According to charitable organisation, Days for Girls, over 500 million women and girls, nearly 25 per cent of all menstruators, experience “period poverty”.
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