The Manageress of Amenuveve SIV Organization, Roberta Donkor, has charged girls not to be ashamed of menstruation as it is a pride of womanhood. She made this known on Friday the 11th of October, 2024, which is the International Day of the Girl Child in an engagement with some girls in Adaklu Torda D/A Basic School and Adaklu Kpodzi E.P Junior High School in the Adaklu District of the Volta Region.
Ms Donkor, who shared some of her personal experiences, including how her mother instructed her during her first flow, charged the girls to also feel confident to approach their parents or female teachers whenever they have any issues concerning their Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights.
She also used the occasion to educate the girls on how to take good care of their personal hygiene, especially during their menstruation period, so that they can live a healthy and productive life.
During a highly interactive session, the girls were asked questions about their Reproductive Health Rights and were also allowed to ask questions on the same, the girls were taught hygienic practices such as bathing at least twice a day, changing menstrual pads at least twice a day depending on flow, pre-menstrual syndromes that are signs that show that their menstrual cycle is close, so they could prepare among others.
Madam Ivy Bedy, advisory board member at Volta Pad, producers of Reusable Sanitary Pads, also took turns educating the girls on taking their studies seriously and avoiding unhealthy lifestyles like engaging in sexual activities that can lead to unwanted pregnancies and become a distraction to their academics and success in life.
As part of the theme for this year’s celebration of the girl child day “Girls Vision for the Future,” she enlightened the girls on works currently going on globally to create opportunities for girls, including the signing of the Affirmative Action Bill in Ghana, which presents them with great opportunities to thrive if only they take their studies seriously.
She however encouraged them that, in case any of them is already pregnant, they shouldn’t see it as the end of the world or attempt abortion on their own but rather seek guidance from their teachers and Girl Child Coordinators. She added that they can still strive to complete their education with the help of their parents and counselors.
In an interview with the Girl Child Coordinators of the Adaklu Kpodzi E.P Junior High School, Madam Juditha Mortey, explained that most of the girls are faced with some challenges, especially a lack of menstrual pads to take good care of their menstrual hygiene causing some of them to use tissue papers and other unhygienic substances that can affect their health. She also mentioned that the inability of some parents to provide adequately for their daughters is one of the factors leading to teenage pregnancy cases in the community.
She, therefore, called on stakeholders and organizers to endeavor to provide items that can relieve girls of such ordeal like menstrual pads, books, and the like.
One of the students Fortunate, used the platform to lobby for Volta Pad to be donated to the girls in their school to properly manage their menstruation.