Underground Mining Alliance (UMA) has donated 1,000 sanitary pads to basic school girls in Kenyasi in the Ahafo Region as part of efforts to promote menstrual hygiene and support girls’ education.
The donation was accompanied by a sensitisation programme on menstruation and menstrual health, attended by officials from the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and UMA.
Speaking to Adom News during the event at Kenyasi No. 1, the Training Officer of UMA, Evans Agyemang, said no girl should be denied education due to challenges related to menstruation.
According to him, lack of access to sanitary products and inadequate menstrual health education continue to affect the academic performance and attendance of some girls at the basic level.
“In no circumstance must a girl fall short in her education, especially at the basic level, due to issues related to menstruation, whether it is access to sanitary pads or education,” he stated.
Mr. Agyemang noted that menstrual stigma remains a major challenge and often leads to absenteeism among schoolgirls.
He assured that UMA would continue supporting girls in the Asutifi North District through the provision of sanitary pads and education aimed at addressing misconceptions surrounding menstruation.
A midwife at the Asutifi North District Hospital, Hannah Osam-Pinanko, who led the sensitisation session, said the girls were educated on proper menstrual hygiene practices.
She encouraged them not to feel ashamed during their menstrual periods, explaining that menstruation is a natural part of female development and wellbeing.
The beneficiaries expressed appreciation to UMA for the support, saying the donation would ease the burden on their families.
According to them, beyond the sanitary pads, the education they received on menstruation would help them better manage their menstrual health and remain confident in school.
They noted that their parents sometimes struggle to provide sanitary pads, making the company’s intervention timely and beneficial.
