Miss Malawi second runner-up Tina Nkombezi says menstrual health continues to be a silent challenge affecting many girls in the country, especially in underserved communities due to lack of knowledge and access to sanitary products.
She said this after launching the End Period Poverty initiative at M’bwatalika Adventist Secondary School in Lilongwe aimed at ensuring girls are not forced to miss school because of their periods.
Said Nkombezi: “Many girls in the country lack both knowledge and access to basic sanitary products, which leads to absenteeism and low self-esteem in school.
“Through my outreach programmes, I want to teach practical skills such as proper menstrual hygiene management, how to make reusable sanitary products and body awareness. I will also focus on confidence building, self-esteem and breaking harmful myths around menstruation.”
Nkombezi observed that cultural silence has contributed to stigma and misinformation surrounding menstrual health, saying there is a need to promote open conversations within communities, schools and families.
“My expectation is to see a generation of girls that are confident, informed and no longer held back by their periods. Let us challenge cultural silence around menstruation and encourage open conversations,” she said.
In the first phase, the beauty queen has targeted 10 schools while the long term vision is to expand nationwide and reach both urban and rural schools.
Nkombezi further encouraged other titleholders not to hold back, but use their platforms of influence to shape conversations and inspire change.
“As Miss Malawi Second Princess, I will use my voice to advocate for menstrual health, partner with organisations and sponsors and raise awareness through the media and community engagement,” she said.
Miss Malawi Organisation spokesperson Stephen Mdala said the initiative comes at a crucial time as Nkombezi is also preparing to represent Malawi at the Miss African Essence International pageant scheduled for April in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“This is important as she prepares for her journey to the international pageant. It will also help her rally support from corporates locally as she gets ready to represent Malawi. It is important that she has launched the initiative focusing on menstrual health, something she is passionate about,” he said.
Mdala said the initiative will not only create impact in communities, but will also strengthen her platform ahead of the International pageant which will bring together contestants from 20 African countries to celebrate heritage, talent and cultural pride.
At Mbwatalika, Nkombezi distributed reusable pads to students, taught them how to make the sanitary pads and conducted sessions on menstrual health.
