Three South African women from different walks of life, Farah Fortune, paediatrician Dr Nokukhanya Khanyile and foundation phase school teacher Thandazile Ndlovu, have come together to publish a children’s book which tackles the subject of menstruation, Tidi Talks Periods.
To make the book age-appropriate, they also used the services of a young girl, Naledi Zondo, who did illustrations.
The book was launched on Thursday at the Pridwin Preparatory School in Melrose, where parents and their children were advised on how to address the menstruation topic at home.
The authors agree that the purpose of the book is aimed at evoking conversations and educating society about the reality that women live in. Fortune said they worked on the book for a year because they realised that menstruation is a taboo topic in the black community.
“Blacks, Indians and Coloureds shy away from the topic and yet it is the main cause of many of our epidemics, like Gender-Based Violence. That is why we brought fathers and boys to the launch, because we want them to be [just] as knowledgeable about the subject. This is not just a [once-off] launch today, we are going to be visible with boys workshops and girls workshops, teaching them about their bodies and what other changes mean,” said Fortune.
Ndlovu said teachers are not equipped about the topic and, as a result, they only teach based on their experience.
“There is still a shame and stigma around the topic, yet there is no clear guideline with regards to what needs to be done to address the topic, which puts us in a dangerous situation.
Considering how much time a child spends at school, I think this is one of the things that teachers should be trained in, because I think it is unfair to expect teachers to help children when they do not have the right information themselves,” said Ndlovu.
Meanwhile, Khanyile said when children (boys and girls) are given correct information about menstruation, they are enabled to know themselves and ask questions around the topic.
“The book is a series and the character of Tidi is going to grow and experience everything that everyone experiences, she is relatable. The reason why we wrote a book is because we want to have a conversation about the topic, both children and parents need to talk about it. We could have gone the digital route but because we want to include Africa as well, people who do not have access to the internet but need the information will also be part of this conversation,” she said.
The book is available on online shopping platforms.
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