Dignified Menstruation Fellows-2023
Aniedi Etim - Nigeria
Aniedi Etim is a Nigerian advocate for girls’ education. She is also an anti-human trafficking advocate, and the Founder/Executive Director of Aniedi Etim Foundation, a Non-profit Organization promoting gender equality in education, health and well-being of women and girls through awareness on menstrual poverty and provision of free menstrual pads to underserved girls in primary and secondary schools. She is a graduate of Mass Communication, and presently a PGD student of Peace studies and Conflict Resolution. She is an author of two books, and a Fellow of Global South for Dignified Menstruation.
Bushra Mahnoor - Pakistan
Bushra Mahnoor, a period rights advocate, ensures safe menstruation in crises. She founded Mahwari Justice post-2022 Pakistan floods, supplying 150,000+ menstruators in flood and cyclone-ravaged areas. A “Chandoo aur Laal Paheli” comic author, she drives Mahwari Justice with innovative solutions like games and rap to break taboos, fostering cultural change. Bushra’s efforts, featured in Time, BBC, Al Jazeera, Cosmopolitan, etc., combat period poverty. Her work transcends borders, inspiring global menstrual rights transformation.
HARRISON MATHEWS - Malawi
Harrison, born in October 1995 in Phalula Village, Malawi, holds a degree in Nutrition and Health from LUANAR. He gained expertise in project management, monitoring and evaluation, facilitation, and research through on-the-job training. With experience in governmental and non-governmental organizations, he served as Programs Manager of Luanar Association for Nutrition and Dietetics, Chairperson of Youth Action Movement under FPAM, and a member of Commonwealth Youth Health Network. Currently, he is a project officer at DENEYE.
Inya Elemi - Nigeria
I hold a bachelor’s degree in Geography and Environmental Science, specializing in social work. With over a decade of experience, I am dedicated to advocacy and community sensitization. Passionate about social justice and gender equality, I work to prevent sexual and gender-based violence. Currently, I serve as the administrative officer at Global Peace Development, providing support and counseling to marginalized populations. My empathetic nature and exceptional listening skills are well-known traits. I stay up-to-date with research and seek professional growth opportunities.
JUDITH OKOSUN - Nigeria
Judith Okosun is, a passionate menstrual health advocate with a background in microbiology. As the SRHR/GBV Program Associate for ANAYD, she breaks taboos around menstruation, promoting dignity for all menstruators. Judith actively empowers over 100 adolescent girls monthly with sanitary pads through the PAD A GIRL campaign by GAIL Foundation. Proudly part of the Dignified Menstruation Fellowship, she envisions a world where menstruation is destigmatized, allowing individuals to manage it with dignity and without barriers to empowerment and well-being.
Linda Aviss Masoo - Malawi
Linda is a seasoned development practitioner with eight years of experience in program design, monitoring, and evaluation. Her work focuses on improving the welfare of marginalized communities, particularly girls and women. With a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Malawi, she coordinates projects in Agriculture, Nutrition, Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Humanitarian efforts. Linda’s ultimate passion is empowering communities, enabling girls and women to become confident leaders in social, emotional, and economic aspects of life.
Mariane Amor Romina T. Abuan - Philippines
Mariane Amor Romina T. Abuan is an teacher from the Literature Department of the De La Salle University-Manila, College of Liberal Arts. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree from DLSU which investigates the cultural history of menstruation in the Philippines. She earned her Master of Arts in Creative Writing at the University of Santo Tomas and her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the same university. Ina’s research interests includes literature, cultural studies, feminism, gender studies, body politics, and critical menstrual studies.
Syeda Samara Mortada - Bangladesh
Syeda Samara Mortada is a feminist activist and SRHR expert, currently Partner-Coordinator at Bonhishkha, a feminist organization in Bangladesh. She advocates for gender equality, using arts to share youth’s gendered experiences. Samara is a core organizer of the RageAgainstRape movement and a member of the coalition Feminists Across Generations. Her work on equal rights and bodily autonomy is featured in national and international publications. Notably, she is an IVLP Fellow and Acumen Fellow (2021).
Sharmila Nagarajan - Malaysia
The Rotary Action Group for Menstrual Health & Hygiene (RAGMHH) is a dedicated organization within Rotary International, working tirelessly to improve lives worldwide by promoting menstrual health and hygiene. They address the social and cultural impact of menstruation on well-being, education, and empowerment, with a focus on providing accurate information, affordable menstrual products, and proper sanitation facilities to menstruating individuals. RAGMHH strives to break the silence surrounding menstruation and create an inclusive environment for all.
Sibongile Njikho - Malawi
Sibongile Njikho is a Volunteer Project Field Officer at Focus on Ability Society based in Blantyre. She was born in May 1998 in Mzimba District, Northern region of Malawi. She’s a holder of Bachelor of Science in Seed Systems obtained from Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Her professional experience includes ability to mentor adolescent girls and young women to be determined, resilient, empowered, Aids free, mentored and safe for them to achieve their dreams. She also served as a Seed Analyst at Seed-co Malawi Limited.
SITI KASAPILA KAPICHI--MALAWI
Siti is a dedicated, compassionate and friendly community worker who is highly passionate about the underprivileged/vulnerable adolescent girls. She has 10 year work experience in Menstrual Health Management (MHM), Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Gender Based Violence (GBV), Child protection, Women/Girls rights and empowerment and Psycho-social counselling. Siti is currently pursuing her MA in Health and Behaviour Change Communication at Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences. Her thesis focuses on the assessment of the impact that cultural/ traditional practices and taboos surround menstruation has on primary school girls.