🩸 Understanding Periods

Periods are natural bleeding that happens every month in girls and women of reproductive age. They are a sign that the body is healthy and functioning normally.
Generally between ages 9 and 15, but some girls get them earlier or later. All of this is completely normal.
Yes, mild to moderate cramps are normal. However, severe pain that prevents you from going to school or work is NOT normal: it can be a sign of endometriosis or other conditions. In this case, it is essential to consult a healthcare professional.
No. This is a widespread myth across Africa. Periods do not make you dirty, and they do not prevent you from cooking or touching others. It is a normal biological process.
Yes, it is possible, even though the risk is lower. Menstrual cycles vary from one woman to another.
Not necessarily. A late period does not automatically mean you are pregnant. Several factors can cause a delay: ● Stress, fatigue, or emotional changes ● Weight fluctuations (rapid loss or gain) ● Intense physical activity ● Breastfeeding ● Recently stopping hormonal contraception ● Hormonal imbalances (not always serious) ● Illnesses or medications If you are sexually active, pregnancy is possible. The only way to be sure is to take a pregnancy test (urine or blood test).
Generally, a delay begins to be unusual after 7 to 10 days. You can: ● Take a pregnancy test if you have had unprotected sex. ● Consult a healthcare professional if the delay exceeds 6 weeks or if it keeps happening.
Yes. Many people experience an irregular cycle, especially: ● After puberty ● After giving birth ● During times of stress ● When lifestyle habits change ● Due to certain contraceptives Irregularity is therefore not necessarily a sign of illness.
This is common. These symptoms can appear without bleeding starting right away, particularly due to: ● Stress ● Ovulation happening later than usual ● A disrupted cycle ● A hormonal shift This does not automatically mean that you are pregnant.

🩺 Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle & Ovulation

The menstrual cycle is the time between the first day of one period and the first day of the next. It lasts an average of 28 days, but anything between 21 and 35 days is normal. It consists of 3 main phases: 1. Menstruation (period): the uterus sheds its lining (3 to 7 days). 2. The pre-ovulatory (follicular) phase: the body prepares to release an egg. 3. The post-ovulatory (luteal) phase: if the egg is not fertilized, the body prepares for the next period.
Ovulation is the moment when an ovary releases an egg. It usually happens mid-cycle, around day 14 of a 28-day cycle, but this varies from person to person. During ovulation: ● Cervical mucus becomes clearer and stretchier, like raw egg whites ● Sexual desire may increase ● Some women feel mild pain on one side of their lower abdomen
The most fertile window is a few days before and the day of ovulation, because sperm can survive up to 5 days inside the body. However, pregnancy can sometimes happen at other times if your cycle is irregular.
No. Some people do not have periods while breastfeeding, but ovulation can resume even before the first bleeding occurs, so pregnancy is still possible.
You can use: ● A calendar ● A mobile app ● Body observation (cramps, mood, cervical fluid…) Tracking your cycle helps you better understand: ● Delays ● Fertility windows ● Shifts in mood or energy levels

🌸 Menstrual Hygiene

● Wash at least once a day, or more if needed ● Use clean water and mild soap ● Avoid vaginal douching (which can cause infections and disrupt flora)
Many girls in Senegal face this challenge every day. Here are some solutions: ● Use disposable or reusable pads depending on your access to water ● Wear period underwear (if possible) ● Carry a small, discreet pouch to change products ● Advocate at school for a safe space (working latrines, water, and trash cans)
● Wrap them in paper or a small bag ● Dispose of them in a closed trash can ● Never flush them down the toilet or throw them into the environment (this causes clogs and pollution)

💼 Menstrual Hygiene Kits

It is a small kit containing everything you need during your period: ● Sanitary pads ● A spare pair of underwear ● Soap ● Wipes or tissues ● A pouch for used pads ● A bottle of water Staying hydrated is essential during your period.
● Disposable pads: practical, but costly and create waste ● Reusable pads: cost-effective, eco-friendly, and well-suited to rural areas ● Period underwear: comfortable but often expensive ● Menstrual cups: effective but require access to water and rigorous hygiene Every girl should be free to choose what works best for her body, her budget, and her living environment.
Yes. Shame, fear of leaks, and feeling excluded lead to a loss of confidence and sometimes depression.

📌 Yeewi & Menstrual Hygiene in Senegal

Because silence breeds: ● shame, ● taboos, ● school absenteeism, ● and health risks.
● Distributing menstrual kits ● Conducting menstrual education and awareness workshops ● Providing guidance alongside the Badienou Gokh and community leaders ● Creating educational resources (comic books, chatbots, etc.) ● Engaging in legal advocacy grounded in the Maputo Protocol ● Offering the Carte Rose Sénégal platform to connect individuals with healthcare and support services

⚕️ Maputo Protocol & Rights

It is an African treaty that protects the rights of women and girls: health, safety, equality, privacy, SRHR… Senegal has ratified it, which means it fully applies.
It guarantees women: ● access to information and reproductive health education, ● access to health services, ● protection against sexual violence, ● the right to make autonomous decisions about their bodies, ● access to safe abortion in specific circumstances (rape, incest, threat to life or health).
They have the right to: ● receive comprehensive reproductive health education, ● access adapted, youth-friendly health services, ● be protected from menstrual stigma, ● get reliable information (including through Yeewi and Carte Rose Sénégal).
Not enough. That is why Yeewi: ● raises community awareness, ● trains healthcare professionals, ● supports young people, ● works to eliminate stigma surrounding SRHR.
Yeewi builds upon it to: ● advance the rights of girls and women, ● expand access to SRHR information, ● fight period stigma, ● defend access to safe abortion under the conditions provided by law and the Protocol, ● improve the quality of care through healthcare provider training.

❤️ SRHR – Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

SRHR stands for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. These rights ensure that every single person can: ● make autonomous choices about their own body, ● access reliable, accurate information, ● receive quality healthcare services, ● experience their sexuality free from violence, coercion, and discrimination.
● The right to information on sexuality, menstruation, and reproduction ● The right to choose their contraception ● The right to safe pregnancy and childbirth ● The right to be protected from sexual violence ● The right to safe abortion under specified circumstances (Maputo Protocol) ● The right to respectful, non-judgmental care ● The right to confidentiality
Because it empowers young people to: ● better understand their bodies, ● protect themselves against STIs, violence, and unintended pregnancies, ● make autonomous choices, ● and be treated with dignity by health services. Yeewi actively fights for barrier-free, non-stigmatizing access to this vital information.
No. Studies prove that the more informed young people are, the better equipped they are to protect themselves and delay sexual debut. Ignorance, on the other hand, puts youth in real danger.

⚖️ Equal Opportunity & Menstrual Precariousness

It is the difficulty or inability to access: ● safe menstrual pads and products, ● a clean, dignified place to change, ● water and soap, ● a private, secure space. In Senegal, this crisis impacts countless girls, especially in rural areas.
It leads to: ● school absenteeism (some girls miss up to 20–25% of school days every year), ● declining academic performance, ● dropping out of school, ● lost professional opportunities, ● risk of infections due to lack of hygienic conditions, ● the entrenchment of gender inequalities. When girls are left to manage their periods completely alone without resources, they are held back from childhood.
● Distributing adapted menstrual kits ● Creating educational comic books and an interactive chatbot ● Raising awareness through Badiénou Gokh, community leaders, and schools ● Advocating to make pads accessible and affordable for all ● Upgrading latrines, water access, and safe waste management ● Implementing direct actions to drastically reduce school absenteeism
Solutions include: ● lowering the cost of menstrual pads (e.g., eliminating taxes) ● improving access to clean water and school toilets ● educating boys alongside girls ● training teachers ● mobilizing communities ● supporting local innovations (reusable pads, period underwear…)

♂️ Feminism & Women’s Rights

Feminism is a movement that strives to ensure that women and men have: ● equal rights, ● equal opportunities, ● equal dignity, ● and the freedom to make their own choices. It is not about dominating men, but about tearing down injustice.
Because women and girls continue to face: ● gender-based violence, ● discrimination, ● systemic barriers to health, education, and employment, ● deeply rooted taboos around their bodies and sexuality. Feminism is an essential force to uphold the rights guaranteed by national laws and the Maputo Protocol.
Yes! Yeewi champions an African feminism rooted in: ● social justice, ● women’s dignity, ● the defense of SRHR rights, ● the fight against institutional, obstetric, and social violence, ● the creation of safe, empowering spaces for women and girls.
Because periods have historically been: ● tabooed, ● stigmatized, ● policed, ● used to shut women out of public and social spaces. Feminism allows us to: ● shatter taboos, ● guarantee universal access to period products, ● talk about periods as completely natural, ● demand tailored public infrastructure and progressive policies.