Women Empowering Women in Guinea Bissau
Mariama Elie Camara is Gender Activities Coordinator in Sinaprof, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau West Africa.
The Gambia Teachers Union organized training for 105 female teachers from the National Teachers Union of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau on July 26th, 27th, and 28th 2022.
This training was run under the technical support of the Gambia Teachers’ Union and the financial support of the Steve Sinnott Foundation in the UK. These female teachers came from different primary and secondary schools and some were recent graduates from the national teacher training college.
The positive periods training included how to make use of locally sourced materials to make and maintain pads. The teachers were shown how to make reusable sanitary pads to give access to effective, sustainable, affordable , eco-friendly and safe menustration products. It was very hands on as all participants were engaged in the cutting of the patterns and sewing, either with hands or machines. At the end of each day, everyone was able to make two sets of re-usable pads, and a bag (for packing them) from a variety of patterns.
During these three days of training, everyone was very motivated to learn new skills that are now helping them to save money previously used every month to buy pads in the shops. Also, the trainers demonstrated how to wash, clean and dry the pads and told us how many times the pads can be used.
The training was very productive because the approach used by The Gambia Teachers’ Union trainers was very collaborative and very creative. They shared their experiences and strategies to help teachers get an idea of how to save money and be healthy using reusable sanitary pads made by themselves.
The Gender Based Violence (GBV) activity encouraged participants to discuss the types and causes of GBV using case studies of the different types of violence. They also looked at school related gender based violence such as physical punishment, sexual harassment, use of verbal words at students, sex for marks, work place harrassment as experienced by two of the participants and a rape case that took place in one of the rural areas that led to the death of a woman.
In recognition 0f the support of the Steve Sinnott Foundation, and The Gambia Teachers’ Union, the teachers from the National Teachers’ Union of Guinea-Bissau promised to expand more training for their sisters in other regions represented by the union. This is a big success in Guinea-Bissau.
This article first appeared in Engage 25.
