“Training Changed Everything for Me” — Oliva’s Journey to Confidence and Justice.
Nyirakamana Oliva, a 16-year-old refugee from Rwanda, is a Primary Seven pupil at Visionary Blue School in Oruchinga Refugee Settlement, Uganda. Her dream is to become a lawyer, one who will fight for women’s rights, especially single mothers who are left to raise children alone after fathers abandon their responsibilities.
“I want to bring justice to women who are voiceless,” Oliva says. “Many single mothers suffer silently. They carry the burden of raising children alone, while the fathers disappear. As a lawyer, I want to fight for them. “She said.
But until recently, Oliva faced challenges that nearly pushed her away from school, particularly during her menstrual periods.
“Before the training, boys used to laugh at us when we stained our uniforms. It was embarrassing,” she explains. “I felt unsafe and ashamed every time my period started. Sometimes, I didn’t want to come to school. “Olivia said.
That changed when Shared Action Africa conducted a school hygiene outreach at Visionary Blue School. Health workers led training sessions for girls on personal hygiene, menstrual health, and self-care. Importantly, boys were also included and that made all the difference.
“After the training, everything changed. The boys came to us and apologized. They told us they didn’t understand what we were going through before. Now, they even support us. If someone sees a girl has stained, he will quietly help her—not laugh,” Oliva shares with a smile.
Through the training, Oliva also learned about staying clean and protecting herself from infections during menstruation.
“I now know how to protect myself from STIs and other infections. I keep myself clean, and I feel confident,” she says. “I am not afraid of school anymore.” She spoke.
Oliva believes that the program came at the right time and saved her from dropping out.
“Shared Action Africa has solved problems that were pushing me away from school. Now I’m focused on my dream of becoming a lawyer,” she says proudly. “Their words of wisdom have opened a clear path for my future. I thank Shared Action Africa for helping us. They didn’t just teach us hygiene they gave us back our confidence.” She spoke.