By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Tanga (U/E), June 11, GNA – World Vision Ghana, in collaboration with Unilever Ghana, has sensitised and distributed menstrual hygiene materials and personal care products to adolescents in the Bawku West District to support menstrual health management and improve school attendance.
The intervention formed part of activities marking this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day celebration and benefited adolescents in 12 schools across the district.
The beneficiary schools included Tanga Junior High School (JHS), Kpalsako JHS, Sitande JHS, Gozeisi JHS, Timonde JHS, Biringu JHS, Boya JHS, Kpantarigu JHS, Yelewoko JHS, Zabzoaga JHS, Kamega JHS and Gbantongo JHS.
Items distributed included sanitary pads provided by World Vision Ghana, as well as Geisha soap, Vaseline and detergents supplied by Unilever Ghana to promote personal hygiene among adolescent girls during menstruation.
Speaking during the distribution at Tanga Junior High School, Ms Mercy Apoasana Awuni, Health, Nutrition and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Officer at World Vision Ghana, said the initiative was aimed at helping girls maintain proper menstrual hygiene and reducing absenteeism in schools.
She explained that World Vision, together with the Ghana Health Service, conducted menstrual hygiene and personal hygiene education sessions in the 12 schools before distributing the materials.
“Menstrual hygiene goes with hygiene itself. As girls menstruate, they need to keep themselves clean. The soap will help them bathe regularly and maintain good hygiene as they use sanitary pads to manage their menstruation,” she said.
Ms Awuni expressed gratitude to Unilever Ghana for supporting the initiative and appealed for continued collaboration to reach more girls.
According to her, inadequate access to menstrual hygiene products remained one of the reasons some girls missed school during their menstrual periods due to fear of stigma and embarrassment.
She noted that the provision of sanitary materials and continued education had contributed to improved school attendance among adolescent girls.
“We have observed that attendance among girls is improving compared to previous years because they are receiving support and education on how to manage menstruation properly,” she added.
Ms Patience Abayom, the Bawku West District Public Health Nurse with the Ghana Health Service, said the intervention was the result of collaboration among stakeholders committed to improving menstrual health and hygiene among adolescent girls.
She said menstruation was a natural biological process, yet many girls continued to face challenges related to access to sanitary products and menstrual hygiene information.
“Through education, sensitisation and partnerships with organisations such as World Vision and Unilever, we have been able to support girls to manage menstruation safely and confidently,” she said.
Ms Abayom indicated that health professionals engaged both female and male students in discussions on menstruation, personal hygiene and the importance of supporting girls during their menstrual periods.
She noted that involving boys in menstrual hygiene education was helping to reduce stigma and promote a supportive school environment.
The Public Health Nurse also highlighted the need for schools to provide adequate facilities, including changing rooms and access to clean water, to enable girls to manage menstruation with dignity.
She commended World Vision Ghana, Unilever Ghana and other stakeholders for supporting the initiative and appealed for continued partnerships in future health programmes.
Ms Felicia Dapila, Health Teacher at Tanga Junior High School, described the donation as timely and beneficial to students, saying that some girls occasionally experienced challenges during menstruation while in school, but the availability of sanitary products and ongoing education had improved the situation.
According to her, awareness creation among students had also helped to reduce teasing and stigma associated with menstruation.
The beneficiary pupils expressed appreciation to World Vision Ghana and its partners for educating them on menstrual hygiene and providing sanitary materials to support their health and education.
They said the knowledge gained had improved their understanding of menstruation and personal hygiene and would help them manage their menstrual periods with confidence.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Email: [email protected]