DOT Rwanda

Teenage pregnancy and menstruation stigma are major public health concerns that have long-lasting consequences for women and girls. In Rwanda, adolescent pregnancy is higher than the global average, and teen mothers are at a higher risk of experiencing health complications and economic challenges. Additionally, menstruation stigma can lead to inadequate access to menstrual hygiene products and facilities, which can negatively impact reproductive health and limit educational and economic opportunities for women and girls.

To address these challenges, with her her team, UMUHOZA Amina founded DUKATAZE/SAYE COMPANY, a social enterprise that uses creative sexual and reproductive health tools like games and comic books to provide accurate information to teenagers. They also provide sexual reproduction training through community outreach to educate teenagers about sex education, which can help them make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. Amina is a beneficiary of DOT Rwanda’s Daring to Shift project funded by Global Affair Canada under the pillar of Social Entrepreneurship to support young women and men (aged 18 -35 years) to identify opportunities to make a difference in their communities and turn their business ideas into enterprises that address important community challenges.

Moreover, DUKATAZE/SAYE COMPANY fights menstruation stigma through increased awareness and education about menstrual health and hygiene, encouraging open conversations about menstruation, and providing women and girls with access to menstrual hygiene products and services. Their menstrual station, also known as a menstrual hygiene management (MHM) center, is a facility that provides women and girls with access to menstrual hygiene products and services, reducing health risks associated with poor menstrual hygiene management.

Through community outreach campaigns, DUKATAZE/SAYE COMPANY distributes menstrual hygiene products, promoting menstrual health and hygiene, reducing school absenteeism, empowering women and girls, and improving mental health. Since its inception in 2017, the organization has impacted more than 5000 women and aims to live in a world where there are no more increased rates of teenage pregnancies and menstruation stigma.

DUKATAZE/SAYE COMPANY is making significant progress in addressing teenage pregnancy and menstruation stigma through creative sexual and reproductive health tools, community outreach, and access to menstrual hygiene products and services. Their efforts are essential to promoting the health and well-being of women and girls in Rwanda and should serve as an inspiration for similar initiatives worldwide. It is vital to continue to raise awareness about the importance of addressing these issues to create a more equitable and just world for all.

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Written by Imelda Ishimwe 

DOT Rwanda YLAB Member