Over 100 adolescent girls from the Kwadaso Anglican and the Kwadaso Ohwimase M/A Basic A and B Junior High Schools in the Ashanti Region have benefited from sanitary pads distribution and menstrual hygiene sensitization initiative by Hope For Future Generations (HFFG), women, children, and youth-focused community based national non-governmental organization.
The donation and sensitization exercise which took place on Friday, 16th October 2020 forms part of “HFFG’s Pads for Girls Everywhere” initiative which seeks to promote good menstrual hygiene management for all girls, including those living with disabilities.
Speaking at the presentation of the pads at a brief ceremony in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional Project Coordinator for HFFG, Mrs. Ira Heathcote – Fumador, said the “Pads For Girls Everywhere” initiative under HFFG’s 20th Anniversary celebrations seeks to break the negative social norms around menstruation and promote good menstrual hygiene management among girls.
She said HFFG under this initiative is raising 3 Million pads to support over Five Hundred Thousand (500,000) girls throughout Ghana.
“Menstruation is a natural or biological occurrence that happens to girls when they reach puberty. It is supposed to be a blessing as it initiates a girl into the reproductive stage, but due to some negative cultural and economic factors associated with menstruation, girls and young women do not enjoy their reproductive health rights and sometimes even their rights to education. It is against this background that HFFG is committed to assisting and empowering the girl child to manage menstruation with dignity,” she said.
Prior to the distribution of the pads, the girls were taken through practical steps on how to correctly fit a sanitary pad on cotton underwear to prevent leakage of blood during the menstrual period.
Experienced resource persons took turns to counsel the girls on why menstruation should not prevent them from going to school and attaining their highest potential.
The donation exercise was graced by the representatives of the Kwadaso Municipal Assembly and the Kwadaso Municipal Education Directorate respectively.
The Girl Child Coordinator for the Education Directorate, Madam Adizah Kubua, who was actively involved in the planning and implementation of the pads distribution, praised HFFG for such an initiative, especially the education on menstrual hygiene.
The girls who benefited from the distribution of Pads were full of praises for HFFG. Akosua, one of the beneficiaries said: “I thank HFFG for providing us with these packs of pads; I have also learned how to take good care of myself during my period so that I don’t get diseases. I am very grateful”.
The staff of HFFG took the opportunity to appeal to parents and guardians to give more attention to the menstrual needs of the girl child.
They also used the platform to appeal to other organizations and well-meaning citizens to support this initiative.
They also appealed to the government to completely take away taxes on sanitary pads as they are essentials for girls and not a Luxury as it is currently classified.