Waiting for a bus …
I spend a lot of time waiting for a bus when in Vanuatu. The past 12 months, I estimate I've taken 650 bus trips, injecting around 100,000 vatu (that's about $1,300 NZD) into the bus economy :) Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai…
Holidays aren’t for everyone
Be inspired Recently, she took first holiday and she's 48 years old, but why did she wait so long? She grew up in a small village on a small island in a small country. She’s not always been in paid…
See what we’ve been up to …
A little taste of what we experienced when visiting the southern islands of Futuna and Aniwa. This is what we call impact. Making a difference in Vanuatu. Tackling "period poverty". Thanks to the the Frontier Innovators programme of DFAT Australia.
Period. End of a Sentence.
Menstruation, periods, rags, Aunt Flo, or sik mun (if you are in Vanuatu) – whatever you call it – “it” is certainly attracting a lot of media interest these days. Academy Awards In fact, ‘Period. End of Sentence’ just won…
Empowerment has many faces
Empowerment of women can happen on many levels and has many faces. In terms of empowerment with Mamma’s Laef, people tend to think of the “empowerment” being, “having access to good menstrual hygiene pads”, or “receiving education / awareness”. Mamma’s…
Home of the worlds’ most accessible active volcano – Tanna Island
Mamma's Laef have supplied hundreds of washable sanitary pads to girls in schools on the southern island of Tanna, in Vanuatu, via CARE International in Vanuatu. CARE International invited two of our team to visit Tanna Island in late February…
Schools back, Mamma’s are into action
The long school holidays are over in Vanuatu, So it's time to give you a quick update about the distribution of washable sanitary pad kits in and around Vanuatu. Students finishing their school holidays will have made their way back to school,…
With a little help from my friends
| Who would have thought | During another Lav Kokonas initiated project, I met a man who “got” what I was doing with the Mamma’s Laef project. He wanted to help in some way so I could achieve some of…
A chance meeting with a student led to
A student created movie and advertising flyer I was returning to Port Vila with the Mammas Laef team, after they had delivered their first education programme and provided 80+ girls with washable sanitary pad kits. We diverted our route, to…
Shhhh, don’t talk about your period
. Awkward café conversations . “I think I need more than a cup of tea, I got my period this morning”. We were standing at the counter at a café. I was with a friend – she is of a similar age…