Aminio David is a 41-year-old male advocate from Pango Village, Shefa province, in Vanuatu. He is a well-known local figure and role model in Port Vila. Aminio is a father of three girls and works in the Vanuatu Cultural Centre to protect and preserve the custom and culture of Vanuatu.
Aminio is responsible for more than nine programmes, including: coordinating the Vanuatu Indigenous Land Defence desk, which is a programme to ensure the indigenous people of Vanuatu are entitled and own their cultural land, language, custom knowledge of the land that make up the identity of Vanuatu; the Vanuatu Slow Food programme, which has become a big attraction for the tourism industry and includes the Slow Food Festival which happens around the country; as well as bio cultural activities that include research on traditions and cultures that are slowly dying in the country and finding ways to revive them.
He is an outspoken voice on menstrual health and we are proud to have him as the only male storyteller in the Pacific Period Stories campaign.
“To normalise the conversation around menstruation, I believe that we need to educate young boys especially at an early age, so that they grow up to respect women when they are on their period. Not being afraid to talk about menstruation amongst us men is important. I have been able to welcome this idea and insert it into the work that I do, and I encourage men with daughters to start to speak openly about menstruation.”
— Aminio David
“To normalise the conversation around menstruation, I believe that we need to educate young boys especially at an early age, so that they grow up to respect women when they are on their period. Not being afraid to talk about menstruation amongst us men is important. I have been able to welcome this idea and insert it into the work that I do, and I encourage men with daughters to start to speak openly about menstruation.”
— Aminio David
“As a videographer, being a part of this campaign has been really exciting. I am really looking forward to seeing the positive impact in our communities. I am very happy that we have been able to capture a male’s perspective in our video for Vanuatu. It was really encouraging to witness a man talking to other men in the community about menstruation and to hearing his experience of being a father of girls and how he is empowering men and boys in the community to speak out about menstruation.”
Gina Ishmael | Videographer
“It was interesting and challenging to work with a male storyteller, but I am really happy with the outcome of the video, I think that it really has a Vanuatu feel to it. As a Mother, I see the importance for men to be talking about menstruation to their younger boys so that it becomes a norm in everybody’s lives. I hope that the video is shared far and wide to males so that they are more comfortable with the discussion on menstrual health.”
Hannah Tamata | Team Lead
Mamma’s Laef Vanuatu was established in 2015, with an idea sparked by a New Zealander and the concept was jointly implemented by husband and wife team, Mary & Jack Kalsrap; initially operating as a community based organisation, providing employment for local women who had limited sewing skills or other talents to assist in the production of reusable menstrual health pads. 2018 saw the formulation into a ni Vanuatu owned business, operating with a social enterprise ethos.
Design, manufacture, administrative and management skills have developed over the past nine years. This has led Mamma’s Laef Vanuatu to develop trademarked own design and tested, reusable menstrual pads, baby and adult nappies, incontinence products for men and women and one-off products for long-term customers. Products are sold directly to end users, or have been sponsored through donations or small grants. INGO’s are the largest customers, who see the value in supporting locally sourced products to provide in their projects in a variety of areas, including menstrual health and supporting those living with disabilities in remote and challenging situations.
The development of two separate Vanuatu specific menstrual health education programmes, for girls and boys, has seen Mamma’s Laef Vanuatu travel to some of the most remote areas which are poorly served in this area of education. Community education sessions are delivered as well as in school presentations.
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