By Reporter
The Wellbeing Foundation will on Friday 28th May celebrate two years of creative activism for menstrual rights and SRHR. The celebrations will have the Foundation hold a fundraising fashion show known as the Menstrual Shebang Fashion Show at MoTIV 7k Old Port Bell Road. The aim of the fashion show will be to promote Menstrual Health in the country.
The show apart from promoting menstrual health will also celebrate the fact that one of it’s aims is to build a bridge between the worlds of stories of the girls/Women that the foundation works with and the world of corporate companies, artistes, leader and civic world.
The Menstrual Shebang Fashion Show will raise funds towards the menstrual station situated in Kisenyi and on top of that, the show is intended to create a movement of period proud and period supportive people in Uganda. The Menstrual Station in Kisenyi operates a health hub and a creative space where free menstrual material, running water, washrooms and the opportunity to sewing classes, dance classes, health education, game events and art gatherings offered to the young people in the Kisenyi slums.
“The show is inspired by the fight for equal enjoyment of participation in day to day life and rights. The shame and stigma brought about by beliefs and myths connected to religious and cultural meaning affects perception of menstruators and the way they are treated. In many ways this makes them feel less or unworthy. The show is meant to start the conversation around period shame, give a platform to creative to use their crafts to communicate issues that matter like this one and also create a movement of period proud and period positive men and women.
When we have half of the population’s (people who menstruate) body rights violated and can’t be fully productive, we are limiting the productivity of the whole society or population. By us coming together to solve this problem that limits our sisters’ /daughters and all people who menstruate, we directly contribute to increasing our productivity! That is what we are trying to do with the Menstrual Shebang! Call upon all you out there, everyone join us as we smash #periodshame!” Shyaka Lwanyaanga Farid captain of The Wellbeing Foundation.
The Menstrual Shebang Fashion show will be the first of its kind and is intended for long term creative advocacy for women, sexual and body rights. The show will also will collaborate with different players in the Fashion industry that will include Joram Muzira & JMM, Hair by Zzziwa, MoTIV, MONA Faces and Statement by Lann among others.