Reflective report

MENSTRUAL HEALTH ADVOCACY IN FIJI: A REFLECTIVE ACCOUNT OF AN INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE Name of Student Course Name of Professor University Date Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Menstrual Health Advocacy in Fiji: A Reflective Account of an Internship Experience PAGEREF _Toc164944837 \h 3Introduction PAGEREF _Toc164944838 \h 3Activities Undertaken PAGEREF _Toc164944839 \h 4Research on Menstrual Health Challenges and Cultural Beliefs in Fiji PAGEREF _Toc164944840 \h 4Developing Educational Content (Videos, Factsheets, Guides) PAGEREF _Toc164944841 \h 5Planning Community Outreach and Partnerships PAGEREF _Toc164944842 \h 5Designing Evaluation Methods PAGEREF _Toc164944843 \h 5Contribution to the Organization PAGEREF _Toc164944844 \h 6Aligning with Comfy Prints' Mission and Vision PAGEREF _Toc164944845 \h 6Empowering Women and Challenging Stereotypes PAGEREF _Toc164944846 \h 6Promoting Sustainability through Reusable Products PAGEREF _Toc164944847 \h 7Intended Impact PAGEREF _Toc164944848 \h 7Overcoming Challenges PAGEREF _Toc164944849 \h 7Reflection PAGEREF _Toc164944850 \h 8Personal Benefits PAGEREF _Toc164944851 \h 10Professional Values and Behavior PAGEREF _Toc164944852 \h 13Experience with Think Pacific PAGEREF _Toc164944853 \h 13Enriching Cultural Insights through an Immersive Community Experience PAGEREF _Toc164944854 \h 13Keeping Professional Ethics and Values PAGEREF _Toc164944855 \h 14Reference List PAGEREF _Toc164944856 \h 16 Menstrual Health Advocacy in Fiji: A Reflective Account of an Internship Experience Introduction This internship was part of my Advanced Practice, and I worked with Fijian Comfy Prints, a firm specializing in producing and selling reusable cotton sanitary pads. The primary objective was to run a public education campaign to inform people from all walks of life about the advantages of reusable products during menstruation to the environment and the need for good menstrual hygiene (Plesons et al., 2021). This reflective report aims to look at the internship experience critically and insightfully. This report discusses all of the projects in detail and assesses if they have added to the professional development and the goals of Comfy Prints. Furthermore, it also examines the overall positive influence this wide-ranging encounter has on the personal growth of the subject in terms of the gained practical expertise and knowledge. Furthermore, the report focuses on the additional information I obtained from the interaction with Comfy Prints, which was crucial in understanding the cultural background. It symbolizes a commitment to perpetuating ethical behavior and professional values throughout apprenticeship. The Pacific Customized Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Kits Piloted in Fiji Source: https://pacific.unfpa.org/en/news/mhm-kit-aims-ease-life-adolescent-girls-and-women-pacific Activities Undertaken Research on Menstrual Health Challenges and Cultural Beliefs in Fiji  Comprehensive research was done to understand Fijian menstrual health problems and cultural beliefs. The process involved considering the most relevant academic articles and news from groups that concentrate on reproductive health workers and gathering the personal accounts of the locals and the related elders (Mohamed et al., 2018). The study examined women's and girls' difficulties and cultural myths and prejudices that impact Fijian menstruation customs to capture reality. Developing Educational Content (Videos, Factsheets, Guides) The development process comprised producing appealing and relevant educational materials targeted at the different population groups in Fiji. It included making attractive and informative videos that had enough substance and were short to educate about menstrual health, designed to help girls use reusable menstrual pads (Mohamed et al., 2018). Another thing I did was create a fact sheet that had a range of information items and also a step-by-step use of them. Additionally, the factual data was displayed in materials developed to clarify any misconceptions about menstrual hygiene, causing the real causes of taboos and stigmas to be tackled. Planning Community Outreach and Partnerships The strategies entailed the involvement of the communities in the reproductive health programs on the understanding that the locals must lead and own the communities. The strategies were to raise awareness by empowering local leaders to lobby for publicity and lasting reforms. In addition, conscious efforts were geared at forming partnerships with national health and gender equality government agencies and non-governmental organizations(NGOs) (Unicef, 2016). Through this, it was possible to have the country’s complex reproductive issues unveiled. Designing Evaluation Methods One of the tasks was to develop methods that would allow for suitable assessment of the awareness campaign and teaching materials. The plan was about sampling to check for changes in the population’s knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes toward menstrual health before and after the project implementation (Unicef, 2016). In addition, measuring the frequency at which reusable menstrual pads are employed is a crucial parameter of how the projects promote sustainable menstrual practices. Prints Reusable Pads Source: https://amiepads.ca/products/new-prints-reusable-pads-sampler-sets Contribution to the Organization Aligning with Comfy Prints' Mission and Vision All the work done during the internship aligned with Comfy Prints’ goals and objectives: to empower women, dispel myths, and promote sustainability about menstrual health and sanitation. A vital element of the organization’s primary goal, the development of awareness campaigns and educational resources, was painstakingly designed to address severe shortcomings in menstruation education in Fiji (Head et al., 2023). Furthermore, Comfy Prints’ primary goals of providing reasonably priced, ecologically friendly menstruation products and dispelling stereotypes about women entrepreneurs’ shortcomings were attempted to be bridged. Empowering Women and Challenging Stereotypes The principal objective of the internship was to empower girls and women by providing them with proper information and knowledge on correct menstruation health and cleanliness. Cultural sensitivity and narrative strategies were employed to communicate successfully with the interested parties (Head et al., 2023). Moreover, resources were made to correct rumors about monthly periods to deal with stereotypes and misapprehensions that surround the natural physiological process of menstruation. These campaigns’ main objectives were to motivate young women and girls to like and talk about their bodies and health without stigma. Promoting Sustainability through Reusable Products Comfy Prints marketed upcycled menstruation pads as a sustainable alternative to disposable ones. The training materials stressed the cost-benefit and durability of reusable pads and reduced waste and landfill overcrowding (Head et al., 2023). The projects aim to promote reusable menstrual pads among Fijian women and girls. They recommended Comfy Prints for eco-friendly period products. Intended Impact The ramifications of such contributions also had many complex, different effects. The main aim of the internship was to tackle the prevailing educational problem in Fiji among girls and women by helping them gain knowledge and have hygienic menstruation practices. The aim was also to encourage Fijian women and girls to use eco-friendly reusable sanitary pads, advantages of which they can take advantage of. It would make them people who are aware of the most economical and eco-friendly ways of maintenance. However, the goal of the programs was to stimulate dialogues around menstruation by challenging the taboos and creating an environment whereby menstruation can be discussed openly. Overcoming Challenges Menstrual hygiene management in Fiji is tough, as I learned during my internship, due to the cultural complexities of menstruation. Conventional attitudes and unchallenged authority caused unease and reluctance to manage the issue (Sommer et al., 2015). A thorough investigation of the local ecology addressed the problem. In addition to that, regional women and community leaders’ organizations were brought on board to ensure that the outreach plans and educational materials were sensible and culturally appropriate to the target audience and that no stigma or offense was intended. Promoting Sustainability through Reusable Sanitary Pads Source: https://twitter.com/FWRM1/status/126...