By by James Shiloli
We live in a society where menstrual cycle is treated as a sacred event. While our mothers understand that it is normal for our daughters to experience a monthly period, our most of our fathers find this as a weird happening. Some of us will go to an extent of treating it as a plague. Sadly, even in the present day some of our communities still do not understand that menstrual cycle is part of any normal girl’s life. The members of these communities will often mistreat girls in their periods. The girls in question here have done nothing wrong, they only underwent a normal life cycle and this warrants them mistreatment. The question is, Is there anyone who can stop this from happening? Do our innocent daughters deserve this injustice?.
Dear dads, the scientists were wise enough to come up with something to help girls during their monthly periods. It is called a sanitary pad. The pad however is not given freely, it is purchased. Our girls, in an effort to buy this essential items, often end up sourcing the money from the wrong people. They end up getting money from people who exploit them. In their vulnerable moments, our daughters will be desperate. We all know that desperate times call for desperate measures. Cases of unwanted teenage pregnancies, rape and early marriages often result from our daughters depending on the wrong people for pads. While in most cases they end up getting the money and buying the pads, what do you think the providing party gets in return? Nothing ever comes on a silver platter you know.
Now Dads, here is a simple way to avoid these unfortunate things happening to our daughters. Let us take it as our own initiative to get our daughters pads. I know that most of us have delegated this role to the mothers, but today I tell you that there is nothing wrong in you as a dad getting pads for your daughter. Doing this doesn’t just protect your daughters from the evil men, it also brings them closer to you. Your bond will grow stronger because your daughters will know that you care for them and they will trust you during their lowest moments.
I also know that some of you dads are wondering where to buy these pads, when to buy them and at what price. The pads are everywhere; wholesales, supermarkets, shops, highway stalls and any other place you go for shopping. There is no specific time to buy pads. Each girl has their cycle days and sometimes it comes expectedly. Our daughters need to ways have pad on stand by for such. So I will advise you to buy them for her the soonest time possible. Pricewise, the pads are not even expensive. Just imagine the money you spend on a single can of alcohol can purchase at least two packets of sanitary pads. You see, this is something you can simply incorporate in your monthly household shopping and wont even feel a pinch.
So Dads, as we buy that nyama choma and that drink. As we deposit that 100 bob for betting, as we look at that t-shirt with the intention to buy. Let the thought of buying pads for our daughters also occupy our minds.
