Monatshygiene in Afrika - ein Luxusproblem mit weitreichenden Folgen

Gemeinsam mit ihrer Mutter versorgt Rhoda Fideler, Gründerin des deutschen Start-Ups MeritaCare, Mädchen in Mombasa mit Damenbinden. Dabei geht es der jungen Unternehmerin um Gesundheit, Würde und gesellschaftliche Teilhabe afrikanischer Frauen.

ZURÜCKVOR

(lifePR) (Tettnang, 17.03.2022)

Ein unbefangener Umgang mit dem Thema Menstruation sowie mit Artikeln der Monatshygiene ist in Deutschland und weiten Teilen der westlichen Industrienationen heute eine alltägliche Selbstverständlichkeit. Historisch betrachtet ist dies jedoch auch bei uns eine Errungenschaft, die gerade einmal einige Jahrzehnte andauert. Noch bis in die 1970er Jahre durften zum Beispiel Produkte der Monatshygiene im Fernsehen nicht beworben werden.

Gesellschaftliche Berührungsängste und Tabus, die bei uns inzwischen überwunden sind, herrschen insbesondere in armen Ländern bis heute vor. Darüber hinaus sind zum Beispiel in weiten Teilen Afrikas Hygieneartikel wie Damenbinden für die allermeisten Frauen gänzlich unerschwinglich. Trotz erster Initiativen einzelner Regierungen afrikanischer Staaten, kostet eine Packung Binden zum Beispiel in Kenia rund 80 Schilling, umgerechnet etwa 70 Cent. Betrachtet man die Zahl der Menschen in Afrika, die weit unter der Armutsgrenze leben und oft mit weniger als 1,50 Euro pro Tag auskommen müssen, ist zeitgemäße Monatshygiene damit kaum finanzierbar.

Die Folgen dieser Voraussetzungen sind vielfältig. Studien belegen zum Beispiel, dass Mädchen in Afrika während ihrer Periode häufig nicht am Schulunterricht teilnehmen und so bis zu 20 Prozent der Schulzeit versäumen. Insgesamt wirkt sich das Fehlen geeigneter Menstruationshygieneartikel zusätzlich negativ auf die gesellschaftliche Teilhabe und damit die soziale Stellung von Mädchen und Frauen aus. Die Verwendung von alternativen Menstruationsartikeln, meist langfristig genutzte, wiederverwendbare Behelfslösungen, nicht selten einfache Stofffetzen, Zeitungspapier oder sogar Gras, birgt darüber hinaus auch konkret gesundheitliche Gefahren.

Rhoda Fideler kennt beide Seiten: In Kenia geboren lebt die ausgebildete Krankenschwester seit 18 Jahren in Deutschland und betreibt seit 2018 das Start-Up-Unternehmen MeritaCare, welches Automaten für Damenhygieneartikel in Toiletten von öffentlichen Gebäuden installiert und mit den erforderlichen Produkten versorgt. Antrieb zur Unternehmensgründung lieferten auch die Erinnerungen an die eigenen Erfahrungen von Unwissenheit und Scham in Verbindung mit der ersten eigenen Menstruation, in ihrer afrikanischen Heimat. Auch wenn sie heute mit ihrem Unternehmen dafür kämpft, das Thema Menstruation in Deutschland noch weiter im Alltag zu verankern und Mädchen und Frauen den Zugang zu Hygieneartikeln in Alltagssituationen zu erleichtern, weiß Sie deshalb um die weit drastischeren Probleme in Afrika.

Gemeinsam mit ihrer Mutter hat Rhoda Fideler deshalb vor einem Jahr eine Aktion ins Leben gerufen, die dazu beitragen soll, in Mombasa die Versorgungssituation von Mädchen und Frauen zu verbessern. Mombasa ist die zweitgrößte Stadt Kenias, mit rund einer Million Einwohner. Trotz Mombasas Stellung als bedeutendes Wirtschaftszentrum, leben hier laut Hilfsorganisationen mehr als 150.000 Menschen in Slums.

„Viele der Mädchen, die hier leben, haben noch nie eine Damenbinde gesehen“, erklärt Rhoda Fideler. „Wir erfahren aber leider auch immer wieder von jungen Frauen, die sich prostituieren, um die Monatshygiene zu finanzieren oder davon, dass Männer Binden als Lockmittel einsetzen. Insgesamt trägt das Thema zur Abhängigkeit der Frauen bei, die sich zum Beispiel auch darin äußert, dass heute jedes vierte Mädchen in Afrika minderjährig verheiratet wird.“

Fidelers Mutter ist Pastorin der Amazing Grace Church, ihr Vater pensionierter Schuldirektor. Zusammen haben beide die Royal Seeds of Hope Academy gegründet, eine Schule für Slumkinder in Mtongwe, einem der ärmsten Stadtviertel im Großraum Mombasa. Mit der Unterstützung ihrer inzwischen im baden-württembergischen Tettnang bei Friedrichshafen am Bodensee lebenden Tochter, verteilt Fidelers Mutter alle zwei Monate Damenbinden und Seifen zur Intimhygiene an jeweils 200 bis 300 Mädchen im Alter von 12 bis 15 Jahren.

„Die Mädchen stammen aus vier verschiedenen Schulen aus der Region sowie aus der direkten Nachbarschaft“, berichtet Rhoda Fideler. „Sie werden in drei Gruppen aufgeteilt, so wird auch dem verbreiteten Schamgefühl etwas entgegengewirkt und die Mädchen trauen sich eher, Fragen zu stellen und frei zu sprechen.“

Die Mädchen erhalten nicht nur Binden und Seifen – Tampons sind für afrikanische Frauen aus Gründen der kulturellen und religiösen Tradition ein grundlegendes Tabu – sondern werden auch zu deren Benutzung sowie generell zu den Themen Körper, Hygiene und Würde unterrichtet, um so auch langfristiges Bewusstsein zu schaffen.

„Für Frauen in Deutschland ist es schwer vorstellbar, wie mit dem Thema in Afrika bis heute umgegangen wird und vor welchen Herausforderungen und Gefahren Mädchen stehen“, erklärt Rhoda Fideler. „Ich bin glücklich, einen kleinen Beitrag leisten zu können und wünsche mir, dass auch in Afrika irgendwann Hygieneartikel so selbstverständlich und vor allen Dingen erschwinglich sind, wie weitestgehend hier in Deutschland.“

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Tampons, sanitary towels and menstrual cups are subject to a VAT rate of 19%.

Source: pa/KEYSTONE/ALEXANDRA WEY

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Critics complain that 19 percent VAT is due for tampons and bandages. They see this as discrimination against women. A petition to this effect has been launched - and is now being discussed by the Bundestag.

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The petitions committee of the Bundestag has to deal with the demand to lower the taxes on tampons and bandages. An online petition to this effect has received more than 81,000 signatures in about four weeks - the quorum for a consultation in the Bundestag is 50,000.

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The petition was launched by the online magazine "Neon" and the start-up unicorn, which is known for vegan condoms. Under the motto #keinluxus, they had intensively promoted their cause on social networks - and gained prominent supporters such as the singer Lena Meyer-Landrut and the presenters Charlotte Roche, Palina Rojinski and Jan Böhmermann.

The petition criticises that the normal VAT rate of 19 percent applies to tampons, sanitary towels and menstrual cups - and not the reduced rate of seven percent, which is intended for important everyday goods. "The period is inevitable," the authors write. "This is not a luxury and should not be taxed as such". The high VAT rate discriminates against women because they would not have chosen their monthly period.

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Read also

Menstrual pain as a disease

"A disease that can lead to organ destruction."

The initiators must now be heard in the Bundestag committee. They may already have supporters, as CDU politician Marcus Weinberg recently called for lower taxes on feminine hygiene products.

Against hygienic poverty

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Women's hygiene articles in secondary schools

Application of the SPD parliamentary group of December 1, 2018

At secondary schools in Tübingen, vending machines with feminine hygiene articles are made available. If necessary, this will initially be introduced as a model project at a single school or in the Mensa Uhlandstraße.

The association TIMA, the GEB and the executive school management are involved in the development.

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Reason:
There are calculations that women spend over 20,000€ per period during their lifetime. Therefore, there are discussions as to whether feminine hygiene items should be distributed free of charge. In Scotland, schools and universities distribute sanitary towels and tampons free of charge to schoolgirls and students.

In the context of the event for the day against violence against women on 25.11.2019 in the town hall the desire was expressed that appropriate automats are set up in T?bbinger schools.

For the SPD faction
Dorothea Kliche-Behnke

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And that, too:

Süddeutsche from 7. Dezember 2018

The dignity of every woman is untouchable!

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Our goal is to ensure that women feel comfortable and safe no matter where they are, even in unexpected situations.

It very often happens that women unexpectedly get their menstruation, become incontinent or experience a haemorrhoidal incident - and do not have an immediate SOS solution.

Such situations can happen anywhere, whether in schools, companies, restaurants, clubs, sports halls, shopping malls, public transport, etc. And many women have to make do with unhygienic means in order not to have to cancel their appointments.

That must not happen, not in this modern society in which we live!

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MeritaCare is The World of Women!

meritaCare operates vending machines with feminine hygiene articles that are filled with tampons and bandages.

Just introduce yourself and the Startup meritaCare to our readers!
My name is Rhoda Fideler. I am 34 years old and founder of meritaCare. I was born in Kenya and have been living in Germany for 14 years. I am married, mother and trained as a nurse. My startup meritaCare operates vending machines with feminine hygiene items, which are installed in the feminine toilets in public areas such as companies, cafes, restaurants, shopping malls, indoor swimming pools, sports halls, etc.. The machines are filled with tampons and bandages. Women and girls can thus quickly and discreetly obtain the required hygiene articles during their most vulnerable moments.

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How did the idea for meritaCare come about?
Everything starts with a story. My story starts when I was 13 years old. Shortly before the end of school I got my period, and I was completely unprepared. With a homemade bandage and red spots on my skirt I ran home. Full of shame I didn't want to go to school the next day but just hide at home.

I had almost suppressed the story when I saw a documentary last year about a young homeless woman telling her story. She said of how she had her menstruation, how she could not afford a sanitary towel or a tampon (which later led me to collect tampons and sanitary towel and donate to the Tettnanger Tafel, because poverty is not just a lack of food). Immediately my memories came back. Then I began to observe myself and my surroundings. I noticed that there it is a big problem for women, but women still don't like to talk about it.

As a nurse I've always been surrounded by women, and the most question asked is: "Can you lend me a tampon or a sanitary towel? I knew then that I had to provide women with a flexible, quick and discreet access to hygiene products.

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What is the vision behind meritaCare?
My vision is that women feel comfortable and safe, especially in their most vulnerable phase, no matter where they are, because feminine hygiene items are accessible everywhere through my vending machines. Not only for menstruation but also other hushed up issues such as incontinence, hemorrhoidal fall, increased vaginal discharge due to endometriosis, menopause, pregnancy etc. But my vision goes beyond the mere supply of hygiene items. I would like to achieve a change of consciousness. We women do not have to be ashamed for being women and for our basic needs.

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From the idea to the start. What have been the biggest challenges so far and how have you financed yourself?
Because the idea is completely new and a ´Tabu topic´, it is partly difficult with male interlocutors to create the necessary understanding for this business idea. To find a manufacturer that manufactures vending machines according to my quality expectations was also difficult, I had to do a lot of research until I found one. Starting a startup on your own is not easy because you have to make all decisions on your own. Thank God I have a husband and a daughter who back me up and motivate me. So far I have managed to finance it myself. Apart from that I knew that the way I would go would not be easy.

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Who is the target group of meritaCare?
The world view of women has changed dramatically. Today, women are on the move a lot, both professionally and privately. Our meritaCare vending machines are for women and girls who are active and want to enjoy their lives. No matter if business meeting or shopping: meritaCare is your ´Plan B´. Girls aged 12 and over.. and women of all ages can make use of our service.

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How does meritaCare work?
I run the feminine hygiene vending machines myself in many public areas such as cafes, restaurants, shopping centres, companies, indoor swimming pools, etc., but also sell the vending machines. meritaCare vending machines are located in the feminine toilets and are therefore accessible to all women and girls. As a customer you only have to insert a coin, choose whether you want a tampon or a sanitary towel and receive the desired product immediately.

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What advantages does meritaCare offer?
Both vending machines and feminine hygiene articles are established, but the combination of both and thus the quick access to tampons and sanitary towel has not yet existed, and this is the real innovation and authenticity of meritaCare. The feminine hygiene machines help women in their most vulnerable moments to make their everyday lives - both professional and private - easier and to enjoy their lives wherever they are. They offer fast service, hygienically flawless products and a gain in time and safety for women.

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meritaCare, where is the way to go? Where do you see yourself in five years?
The future is female. MeritaCare wants to establish itself in the German market, offer its services to women throughout the country and grow into a successful franchise company.

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Finally: What 3 tips would you give to prospective founders?
To believe in God and to be patient is important for me because it gives me hope. With God everything is possible.

Arise like the sun: You are the bearer of a vision.

Don't expect others to understand you.Game changer: You may rewrite the rules, but you have to be authentic.

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Further information can be found here

We would like to thank Rhoda Fideler for the interview

Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial staff and the publisher.

Women are on the move a lot today (professionally and privately). When a menstruation accident happens, women rush to the ladies' toilets to help themselves. For these emergency situations there was unfortunately no solution in public ladies toilets, and women had to make do with unhygienic means. That is the end of it! MeritaCare women's hygiene vending machines enable women to buy hygiene articles flexibly and comfortably in all women's toilets. MeritaCare The World of Women!