A US-based menstrual health advocate named Hyasintha Fitzpatrick has been working to provide menstrual education and distribute sanitary pads to adolescent girls in rural Tanzania [34228ade]. She founded the social enterprise Kasole Secrets and initiated the Hedhi Salama campaigns to raise awareness and combat the stigma surrounding menstruation. Fitzpatrick has collaborated with various partners and organizations, including the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, and UNFPA, to develop national menstrual health and hygiene guidelines and provide technical support for consultancy projects. She has also focused on promoting the use of modern reusable pads in rural communities and advocating for comprehensive solutions to menstrual health and hygiene challenges, including access to female-friendly toilets, water facilities, and proper disposal infrastructure. Fitzpatrick believes that every adolescent girl has the right to receive early menstrual education and choose the menstrual products that suit them, regardless of their geographical location or economic status [34228ade].
Fitzpatrick continues to work remotely from Pennsylvania, USA, while managing her social enterprise and providing technical support to her team in Tanzania. Her advocacy has contributed to significant progress in addressing menstrual health and hygiene in Tanzania, and she emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts and government involvement for sustainability. She is also involved in projects specific to adolescents with disabilities and believes in co-creating solutions that accommodate various types of disabilities. Fitzpatrick's work has been recognized internationally, and she has shared her experience and expertise through lectures and collaborations with organizations like Columbia University and edX. Despite the challenges of working remotely and traveling between countries, she is committed to continuing her work and providing support to the communities she serves. Fitzpatrick is grateful for the support of her husband, who understands the nature of her work and encourages her to keep pushing forward [34228ade].