A deeply personal matric visual arts project has become a powerful platform for awareness, after Michael Mount Waldorf School learner Amaya Fang Da Fonseca was invited to present her work at the Wellness Collective Summit in Midrand alongside Gauteng Health MEC Faith Mazibuko.

The opportunity came after a prospective parent attending the school’s open day was moved by Amaya’s artwork exploring period poverty and menstrual stigma. For Amaya, the project began with her own experiences, before expanding into research about the challenges many South African girls face. “I have felt very strongly about this topic for a very long time. It’s really personal to me.”

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As she investigated period poverty, she discovered that thousands of girls miss school because they cannot afford sanitary products. “It made me realise that many young girls don’t have the same opportunities that I do. Something as natural as menstruation shouldn’t stop someone from getting an education.”
Through her artwork, Amaya hopes to encourage people to rethink their perceptions of menstruation. “The whole piece is about breaking the stigma and taking away menstrual shame. I want people to stop and think about how they approach periods and understand that there’s nothing shameful about them.”

She described the invitation to address the Wellness Collective Summit as unexpected. “I was completely shocked. I asked my teacher if it was real. Knowing that my artwork can reach people outside the school means everything to me.”

Sharing the programme with Mazibuko during women’s month makes the experience even more meaningful. “It’s an incredible honour to be part of a space with so many empowering women and to help raise awareness.”

Amaya believes conversations around period poverty should involve everyone. “We need to educate boys as well as girls. Everyone should understand menstruation, and every girl should have access to sanitary products so she isn’t limited by something she can’t control.”

Her visual arts teacher, Dudley Hibbert, praised her dedication to addressing an important social issue. “What has always fascinated me about Amaya’s work is how passionate she is about women’s reproductive rights and raising awareness around menstrual shame.”

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Hibbert believes projects like Amaya’s demonstrate the impact art can have beyond the classroom. “They show learners that if they create work about issues they care deeply about, it can gain recognition and contribute to meaningful social change.”

As South Africa marks women’s month, Amaya hopes her artwork will encourage conversations that lead to greater understanding, dignity, and equal access for girls across the country.

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