Ornella de Vinyle Nzouegou CEO of Vessels For Development (V4Dev), a non-profitable organization launching
IRHI project Inclusive Reproductive Health Initiative, for the inclusion in sexual reproductive health for women and girls with disabilities.
One of the aim of this organization is to promote social economic growth of women / girls and youths in Cameroon precisely, and in Africa globally.
The project proposed solutions that will promote safe sexual reproductive health be it in medical facilities, be it to access to knowledge, be it in access to proper products and the project.
Project activities will include; accompanying medical practitioners specifically midwives on disability frame communications for them to be free to go to any institution and be able to consult without any discrimination, without any judgement, feeling comfortable to talk about their needs.
The project was based on considering the menstrual attracting bracelet for people with different impairment, thinking of how a child with intellectual impairment, a lady with visual impairment has to proceed to count her menstrual cycle so bringing out a true electronic device that will federates different impairments, with cost effective then targeting those in the rural areas.
The project is being implemented by youths that are living in Cameron. There were four other solutions that were selected through the Accessibility Innovation Challenge, and we were opportune to be one of the five winners in terms of let me say activities, we've organized six school design workshops on the electronic menstrual tracking bracelets.
"We also contribute to their rights and talking of rights, we work on rights related to sexual reproductive health, with actions based specifically on menstrual hygiene. We have several projects amongst which Menstruaction, Girl’s active, Mama Tech in attached and Inclusive Reproductive Health Initiative (IRHI)", Ornella de Vinyle Nzouegou CEO of Vessels For Development.
Innovation is a call line of our action, innovation and inclusion in all the projects we do to promote an inclusive world, be it in education, sexual reproductive health questions etc.
The first project was done, we are entering into phase two, which is the production of physical version of the prototype which have been done and now we have the phase of the testing.
According to the CEO the project will be of great help young girls know their menstrual cycle, break the trauma and the stigma that are attached to menstruation but also prevent a surprise menstruation that which is the cause of dropout from school for many girls and this will alert them prior to their menstruation in case they even have cramps.
"This will permit them and their families to take predisposition and maybe through painkillers especially depending on what is more relief for them and permit them to be in school even though they have their menstruations".
"Not only that, but it can also prevent unwanted pregnancies for older women who are sexually active. One of the reasons of unwanted pregnancy is the lack of mastery of the menstrual cycle".
The innovation proposed by IRHI project is accompanied by UNFPA be it in Cameroon, UK, USA, Global Disability Initiative Hub and the Global Network of Young Persons with Disabilities.