FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Yaounde, 8 May 2024 – Girls HerRising is excited to announce the launch of the second edition of the Drop-red Storytelling Competition, aimed at advocating for a #periodfriendlyCameroon. The competition, organized annually in commemoration of Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD) celebrated on May 28th, seeks to amplify the voices of women and girls, while recruiting boys and men as allies in the menstrual advocacy cause.

In alignment with the event’s spirit, Girls HerRising invites submissions from young men and women, internally displaced by the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon, aged between 15 and 35. The competition aims to shed light on the experiences of dealing with menstruation in conflict areas, soliciting powerful, touching, compelling, uplifting, and inspiring narratives.

“We want to hear your stories!!! What is it like, going through periods while running away from a war?” expressed the organizers. “We are looking for powerful voices on dealing with periods in conflict areas.”

Submissions must adhere to the following requirements:

– Open to both fiction and non-fiction short stories.
– Limited to a maximum of 2500 words.
– Only one story per entrant will be accepted.
– Submissions must be in English language.
– Entrants automatically consent to the publication of their stories on Girls HerRising website upon submission.
– All stories must relay experiences about dealing with periods in conflict.

Entrants are encouraged to provide a short biography alongside their stories for sharing on the organization’s website and social media channels.

In addition to the storytelling competition, Girls HerRising conducts community outreach campaigns to distribute sanitary products to internally displaced young women and girls. The organization also provides training in producing and using washable and reusable sanitary pads as a measure against period poverty.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, May 24, 2024. Winners will be announced on May 28, 2024.

For more information and to submit entries, please visit: https://herrising.org/advocating-for-an-end-to-period-poverty/