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#WomenStrongWarrior Spotlight: Megan White Mukuria of ZanaAfrica Foundation
At WomenStrong International, we believe in the power of bold women and are inspired to share their accomplishments. Whether or not they are part of WomenStrong, these powerful changemakers turn challenges into innovations, share our belief in women and girls and deserve recognition for their achievements. This series spotlights the essential work
WomenStrongWarriors accomplish all over the world. We hope their stories inspire you, as well.
Moved by the urgency of the issue, Mukuria established ZanaAfrica Foundation , an organization (named for the Kishwahili word for “tool” ) that helps girls in Kenya stay in school and build better lives, just by listening to their questions and delivering answers in innovative, useful ways. Through this simple — yet visionary — model, ZanaAfrica has created informational comics for girls, reinvented textbooks as fun, colorful magazines and even established the first-ever brand of sanitary pads to feature an African woman. She also established the ZanaAfrica Group , a business entity that manufactures and distributes sanitary pads and that, as such, gives girls access to the critical supplies they need to stay in school. Zana says it now delivers pads, underwear and health education to 10,000 young women every month. And that is truly just the beginning for this inspiring organization.
In the video below, Mukuria explains why menstrual hygiene management is a global issue that needs a major reevaluation, how her organization is changing lives, and what’s at stake for the future, if society doesn’t address this critical issue. Her work with ZanaAfrica creates innovative ways to spread information, start conversations, and turn uncomfortable laughter into understanding of a natural process — all of which is at the core of WomenStrong’s “Empowering the Period” campaign .
Mukuria truly embodies what it means to be a
