Menstrual health is a persistent equity gap in Zambia. A significant share of adolescent girls lack consistent access to sanitary products, and the consequences show up in school attendance data, health outcomes, and the confidence with which young women move through the world. For girls with disabilities, those barriers are compounded in ways that standard menstrual health programming rarely acknowledges, let alone addresses.
The 2025-2026 Zambia cohort of GHC’s Africa Leadership Accelerator planned their cohort stretch project to address that gap. “Every Girl, Every Cycle,” implemented at Munali Girls Secondary School in Lusaka in honor of Menstrual Hygiene Day, supported girls with visual impairments and those who are hard of hearing with education, materials, and practical skills tailored to their specific needs.
Fellows fundraised and partnered with several private and public organizations, including Lumuno Reusable Pads and Twikatne Women’s Foundation. Sessions covered puberty and body changes, the correct use and long-term care of reusable pads, personal safety, and mental wellbeing, including exercises on self-care routines and positive self-talk.
One practical lesson stood out for its simplicity in which fellows encouraged the participants to keep a chitenge, the traditional African print wrap worn across the region, in her bag as part of a basic menstrual preparedness kit. For a girl caught off guard by an unexpected period, a chitenge offers immediate cover and confidence while she figures out next steps. No product required or pharmacy trip needed.
That kind of contextual knowledge is what sets well-designed health education apart from information delivered for its own sake. The Zambia fellows understood that reaching girls with disabilities means accounting for how they receive and process information, not just what information they receive. Menstrual health determines whether girls show up to school and whether they can focus when they get there. Now these girls have a few tools and tips to overcome this barrier.