By Kantarawaddy Times
In Somo Phay Soe Lay Township, also known as Shadaw Township, in Karenni State, local and displaced women are reportedly facing severe shortages of essential monthly necessities, including personal hygiene products. According to local young women, many have had to resort to using cloth in place of sanitary pads.
“The displaced women in Somo Phay Soe Lay Township where we currently reside, are in desperate need of personal hygiene items, especially sanitary pads. However, transportation challenges have made it nearly impossible to bring these items in. Shops have also stopped selling sanitary pads and other monthly essentials, which are crucial for women. Even if they want to buy them, they simply can’t,” explained Maw Meh Mo, a local young woman from Somo Phay Soe Lay (Shadaw) Township.
Due to road closures leading into Somo Phay Soe Lay Township from the main capacity of Loikaw, access to goods has become severely restricted, leaving only limited stock in the shops. Personal hygiene products are in particularly short supply, according to reports.
Some women, lacking sufficient clothing, have had to manage their menstrual periods with a single piece of undergarment, while others have been using folded longyis (sarongs), added another local young woman.
“It would be more accurate to say that sanitary pads are simply unavailable. This situation likely began in February. Even when donors come, they only provide one pack per household, which is only enough for a month,” the woman added.
In addition to transportation challenges, the road closures have made it impossible to purchase not only monthly necessities but also essential personal hygiene products such as soap, clothing, and footwear. Khu Kue Reh, the chairperson of the Somo Phay Soe Lay youth organization, confirmed this to Kantarawaddy Times.
“The situation for the displaced is dire. In the shops, there’s no one selling clothing or footwear. Even if people want to buy these items, they might not know the condition of the roads. With transportation so difficult, many people are still wearing the clothes they had before, which are now worn and unclean,” said Khu Kue Reh.
Due to financial hardships, people are forced to use the clothes they already have. During this rainy season, the inability to properly access dry undergarments has led to an increase in skin infections.
“The consequence of wearing undried undergarments, as mentioned earlier, is an increase in skin infections. When personal hygiene items like soap and shampoo are unavailable, people have been using dishwashing soap to wash clothes, their hair, and even as body soap,” continued a local young woman.
Somo Phay Soe Lay Township (Shadaw) was fully captured by resistance forces on February 12, 2024. Currently, due to the dangers posed by landmines and airstrikes, displaced people have not been able to return to their homes.
There are reportedly three displacement camps in Somo Phay Soe Lay Township, housing over 300 families and more than 3,000 displaced people.
