‘Girls to Women Foundation’, (G2WF) a non-governmental organization on Saturday distributed sanitary pads to over 400 adolescent students of Kasuliyili Senior High School in the Tolon District.
This was in partnership with the Ghana Education Service and Ghana Health Services. The exercise forms part of the Foundation’s ‘2 for 1′ sanitary pad and menstrual hygiene project as the world marks Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28. The theme for this years’ celebration is, ”Making Menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030”.
The initiative seeks to improve girls’ attendance in school during their period as some stay out of school over their inability to purchase sanitary pads during such time of the month.
Globally, more than 800 million women and girls mensturate everyday, yet they face barriers to properly manage their menstrual periods. Social stigma and taboos surrounding menstruation prevents women and girls from attending work and school.
Research has shown that not having access to menstrual hygiene management products can keep girls home from school during the time of their period each month. Further research has shown that 53 percent of adolescent girls cannot afford themselves sanitary pad, thereby lacking access to adequate menstrual protection.
It is as a result of this that the Girl to Women Foundation, saw the need to support these adolescents by distributing sanitary pads to the less privileged to protect them. The foundation through the benevolence of individuals, and groups was able to mobilize 30 boxes of sanitary pads which were distributed to the students.
Each student got two sanitary pads. The students were also taken through some menstrual hygiene tips by health personnels. There is therefore a need for government to ensure every girl child attends school by providing them with sanitary pads since girl child education is a matter of priority in Ghana.
Hajia Maria Iddrisu is the Executive Director for Girls to Women Foundation. The girls who were full with excitement after receiving the sanitary pads, commended Girls to Women Foundation for supporting them with menstrual hygiene materials. They say this would go a long way to cushion them for at least the next two months.
The students also used the opportunity to appealed to parents to support them whenever they are in their period. Assistant Headteacher of the school Mahama Fuseini Kasuli on his part thanked the foundation for choosing to celebrate the day with the school, indicating that the initiative offers the girls the opportunity to learn issues of menstrual hygiene faced by women and girls.
Girls to Women Foundation (G2WF) is a feminine centered NGO founded in 2018 to promote the welfare of girls and young women by empowering and creating spaces for them to live fulfilling lives, and to overcome marginalization in society.
Source: zaanews.com/Lilian D.Walter
