While most university students spent their semester breaks either in school or with family and friends, this was not the case for young Shivonnie Sakme, a Law student at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) who sought out voluntary work with QueenPads. Throughout the month of June QueenPads, visited schools in Alotau District, Milne Bay Province to bring awareness on menstrual health and hygiene. Sakme is an advocate for menstrual health and hygiene. Raised in remote areas of Papua New Guinea, she witnessed firsthand the challenges women face in accessing basic menstrual hygiene products. A visit to her father’s village in 2012 left a lasting impression: her cousins and aunties were paddling long distances along the river just to buy a single packet of sanitary pads for K10. “When I learned about QueenPads and their work, I knew I had to be involved.” “I had also worked on menstrual health initiatives through PNG Young Professional Women’s Network, so when my university exams ended, I reached out to the CEO of QueenPads.” “I was the only volunteer from Port Moresby.” She recalled that there were moments of learning, challenges as well as emotional experiences when encountering different communities. “It is taboo and culturally sensitive to speak of menstrual health and hygiene in some communities –boys and girls had to be separated before we could hold discussions.” “There are times when you go to the rural communities, you can experience ‘privilege guilt’ – feeling bad for having access to certain services while others do not.” One unexpected finding was how the recent changes to the national school curriculum have made it more difficult for teachers to incorporate menstrual health education in lower grades. “Before, it was taught in Grades 6 to 8. Now, with the curriculum changes, teachers are unsure how to introduce it in Grades 3, 4, and 5.” "Some teachers were even taking notes during our sessions, because they hadn’t received any formal training or resources." “In some communities, male teachers opted out of the conversation, but others were more open minded and listened in on the conversations as well.” She stated that in spite of the challenges faced, she strongly believes that there is always a way if you have the will to do things. She also highlighted additional words of advice to other young women who wish to pursue such voluntary work. “You have to be flexible and able to adapt to different situations. In rural communities, things can be unpredictable transportation might fall through, accommodations might change last minute.” “Communication is also important—not everyone speaks fluent Tok Pisin, so English is often used to help people understand. You have to be able to make people feel comfortable.” “Lastly, don’t wait for opportunities. Reach out to people. If you believe you can do something, within your capacity, just put yourself out there and get involved.”