By Godfred A. Polkuu
Teshie (U/E), Jan. 24 GNA-The Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Haven of Love Children Foundation, Mr Samuel Nana Bekai Djirackor, has presented sanitary pads to 280 adolescent girls from eight schools in the Upper East Region.
The beneficiaries were drawn from Junior High Schools (JHS) upper primary levels in the Teshie, Soogo, Kperigu, Zeroga, Ankpaliga and Agaago all within the Teshie Circuit of the Bawku West District.
Apart from the presentation, the girls were educated on teenage pregnancy and early marriage, challenges associated with the adolescent girl, good friendship and networking, menstrual hygiene and the effects of Sexually Transmitted Infections among others.
Their male colleagues were also schooled on the negative effects of hard drugs and the need for them to stay away from illicit medicines and drug abuse.
Mr Djirackor said the gesture was to assist the adolescent girls to undergo hygienic and healthy menstrual periods, as some of them could not afford sanitary pads and, therefore, resorted to the use of toilet rolls, rags and cotton wools among other unhygienic materials during their monthly flow, which he noted exposed them to infections.
He acknowledged the support of Ms Deborah Djirackor, the Foundation’s Intercity Representative in Accra, and her friends who partnered with the Foundation to fund the exercise as her gift to mark her birthday celebration.
“So, we want to call for increased public support; if you are celebrating your birthday and want to touch lives, then Haven of Love Children Foundation would be grateful for such a partnership,” he said.
Mr Mohamadu Issifu Azongo, the Headteacher for the Teshie JHS, thanked Mr Djirackor and his team for their contribution towards enhancing education in the school and the entire Circuit.
He said there was a high attrition rate especially among female pupils in the school, because of the inability of some parents to provide them with basic items including sanitary pads for their comfort during their menstrual periods.
Mr Azongo disclosed that some of the pupils had left school to pursue small-scale mining, to enable them to cater for their basic needs.
The Headteacher said the intake of pupils from the primary level was usually high, but as they advanced into JHS two and three, girls’ enrollment dropped.
The pupil’s population which hitherto ranged between 300 and 400, reduced to 103, comprising 52 females and 51 males as they advanced, he said.
“This is very low for a school like this, and it is because of the ‘galamsey,’ (illegal mining) activities which are taking them away from school. This leads to teenage pregnancies and some of them get married at the wrong age. These are some of the problems we face,” he added.
Mr Azongo appealed to other organisations to assist pupils, especially adolescent girls in the Circuit with sexual and reproductive health activities and information, to enable them to live healthy lives.
Mr Bob Alafia, the Parent Association’s Secretary for the Teshie JHS, and the Christian Foundation for their kind gesture.
Some pupils who spoke to the Ghana News Agency after receiving their share of the sanitary pads thanked the Foundation and its leadership for “surprising us with these sanitary pads,” and used the opportunity to appeal for the reduction or removal of taxes on these essential commodities to promote good health.
GNA