Sho Madjozi, Stayfree introduce chatbot to make periods convos pain-free
Users may also anonymously submit their questions and comments via the chatbot, which will be answered by experts who are on standby to assist.
Naturalising menstruation
Stayfree recognised Sho Madjozi’s commitment to empowering young people and felt that she would be the best role model to partner with on the brand’s journey to naturalising menstruation. This comes at a time when the spotlight is on gender issues in South Africa and the chatbot aims to empower and equip young people to deal with menstruation.
Earlier this year, Sho Madjozi said that she was looking forward to creating a space where young people can feel comfortable in addressing their bodily concerns. Menstruation is a topic that isn’t sufficiently up for open discussion and – together with Stayfree – the Forbes Africa 30 under 30 creative is working to change that.
Sho Madjozi teamed up with Stayfree’s global #OurMove campaign that aims to naturalise menstruation so that young people can stay in school or go to work and achieve their goals in life. The aim of Stayfree’s In Sync with Sho Madjozi chatbot is to equip young people with the information they need to functionally manage their periods and the symptoms associated with it.
Many South African people don’t have access to support and information and, as a result, find themselves struggling through menstruation on their own. It’s both Stayfree and Sho Madjozi’s goal to provide these young people with meaningful and engaging educational content through the channel, so that they may feel empowered and are encouraged to ask questions and have conversations about menstruation.
“The Loneliest Aisle”
The In Sync with Sho Madjozi channel was launched with a video featuring the singer shopping for sanitary products in what she dubs “The Loneliest Aisle”, while addressing social behaviour towards menstruation and questioning why periods are still a taboo topic that young people work so hard to hide.
The naturalisation of menstruation has always been close to her heart.
“I hope this channel will open up space where it’s not only acceptable but where it’s cool to discuss menstruation. I wish I knew more about menstruation when I started. There was shame around it and there was the idea that I should already know what to do about it.
I had to learn the hard way through a lot of confusion and ruined underwear and it’s my hope for young people out there, that as they enter into this stage, they are more prepared and more comfortable with their bodies because of the information that we’re putting out there with Stayfree,” she says.
“Stayfree is on a journey to help naturalise menstruation, something that almost half our population goes through. We want to enable and empower young people to progress in life by understanding that their period is a natural bodily process that should never hold them back,” added Stayfree marketing manager Robyn Kruyer.
