Period poverty research leads to free sanitary dispensers in UWI restrooms
THE prevalence of period poverty was too intolerable for student leaders at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona to ignore.
After conducting research on the issue in January, which resulted in feedback from over 200 students, The UWI Guild Services and Special Projects Committee launched an initiative last Thursday for sanitary napkin dispensers to be installed in female restrooms across the campus.
President of the committee Jhe’Vonte Webster, who led the charge, told the Jamaica Observer that with female students covering 80 per cent of the school’s population, the aim was to ensure they have access to sanitary products at their fingertips.
“Based on the research, we were able to surmise that this project was something needed. A great portion of the respondents indicated that at least once in a while they do find it hard to obtain sanitary napkins mainly due to prices and their flow. We saw this as the perfect opportunity to match this need with a project of this nature,” said Webster.
According to Webster, the dispensers should provide sanitary napkins and tampons. He said currently, one machine has been purchased and at least seven more should be bought for restrooms across the faculties on campus.
“This is my final contribution to the students as my tenure as vice-president will come to an end in the next few weeks, but before I go the aim is to have a sanitary napkin company come on board as a title sponsor that will provide us with sufficient products to last for six months – which will be the timeline for our pilot study,” he said.
Some female students shared that they were grateful for the new initiative.
“This project is extremely insightful and it’s paving a way for a new dawn. It’s extremely amazing to see a male being the person to lead this charge and I’m extremely proud,” said third-year integrated marketing communication student Sabrina Bryan.
Third-year law student Aundreen Cameron was also pleased.
“This project is amazing. It shows that there are good hearts in this world and when great minds come together, anything can be achieved,” she said.
Third-year social sciences student Monepha Reece commented on the unusualness of the project.
“I’ve never seen a project like this before in any other institution, and I’m so happy to see what the future of it holds. Mr Vice-President did a really good job and it makes me happy,” said Reece.
