By Yussif Ibrahim
Obuasi, May 29, GNA – Underground Mining Alliance (UMA), a subcontractor of AngloGold Ashanti, has donated 3,000 sanitary towels to girls at the Abdullam Orphanage and eight other schools at Obuasi.
The donation forms part of efforts by the company to promote safe menstruation among girls as the world marks Menstrual Hygiene Day on the theme “Together for a Period Friendly World.”
The beneficiary schools included Artic School, Asonkore M/A school, Pomposo MA school, Ahmadiyya school, Top Angels, Freedom Academy, St Margaret School and the 31st of December School at Bogobiri.
World Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed globally on May 28, every year as an annual awareness day to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management on the global level.
Mr. Darren Howard, Project Manager of UMA, said the company was aware of the challenges many girls were confronted with during menstruation and that the donation was the company’s little contribution to make them comfortable during that period.
“We are not oblivious to what some girls go through during menstruation.
Some decide to stay out of school while others battle with stigmatisation, so we came around to motivate and support them on how to tackle issues of menstruation”, he said.
Ms. Yvonne Asabere, Training Coordinator of the company, said the donation also sought to inspire the pupils to recognise the need to stay safe and observe clean menstruation.
She emphasised that menstruation was warning sign that the girls could easily get pregnant when they indulge in unprotected sex.
“We came with female engineers as role models to motivate the girls to have confidence and trust in their abilities and I believe it will encourage them to aspire to climb the academic ladder,” she observed.
Mr. Lawrence Turkson, the National Project Manager, said the company had been supporting female related activities and women empowerment programmes over the years as a company committed to promoting the development of women.
The company, he noted, aligned with the global ambition to attain a period friendly world, and advised young girls to remain confident even in the face of stigmatisation during menstruation.
Ms. Sarah Appiah, a Midwife at the AGA Health Foundation who was the resource person, took participants through the four phases of the menstrual cycle.
She demonstrated the proper way to wear sanitary pad and advised the girls to prioritise personal hygiene, especially during menstruation.
Mr. Richard Obeng, the Assembly Member for Pomposo Asonkore Electoral Area, commended the company for the support which he said was a huge relief for most of the girls.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke to the media, lauded the company for the donation, admitting that some of them really struggled to access the product during menstruation.
GNA