The ARB Apex Bank Ladies Association has held an awareness campaign on menstrual hygiene for young girls in basic schools in the Greater Accra Region to mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day which is commemorated on May 28 each year.
The initiative, carried out in collaboration with the Adolescent Youth and Friendly Health Service Unit of the Ga East Municipal Health Directorate, was also to commemorate the second anniversary celebration of the ladies association.
Apart from holding an educational session to address issues of menstrual hygiene, association donated 1600 sanitary towels to girls in selected basic schools within the Ga East Municipality.
The beneficiary schools were Abokobi Presbyterian Basic 1 and 2 Schools and Akporman Model 1 and 2 Basic Schools.
In a speech, the president of the ARB Apex Bank Ladies Association, Iris Obeng-Tuudah, emphasised the importance of the initiative in line with the association's vision to mentor young girls and guide them towards a successful future.
She highlighted the significance of improving menstrual hygiene through education and donations, noting the potential impact on academic and social progress if young girls are unable to access sanitary pads.
“This initiative is part of our mission and vision which is to mentor young girls and coach them into becoming very prominent people in the future. “We cannot achieve this vision if we overlook the aspect of helping them to improve their menstrual hygiene through education and donations such as these," she said.
She acknowledged the high cost of sanitary pads saying that failure to purchase them for the young ones could cause the girl-child to miss classes sometimes, and that hindered their academic and social progress.
Ms Obeng-Tuudah also encouraged the female students to prioritise their menstrual and personal hygiene, saying menstruation was part of their lives as young women and asked them not to get shy since it was part of the growth of every woman.
The headteachers of Abokobi Presby '1' Basic School, Simon Kumuriwo, Abokobi Presby '2' Basic School, Cynthia Ogbedee Kumassey, Akporman Model '2' Basic School, Olivia Nyuiemedi Adigbli, and Akporman Model '1' Basic School, Doris Agbenyo all expressed appreciation to the ARB Apex Bank Ladies Association for the donation.
They also encouraged other institutions to embark on similar initiatives more often. A Basic Eight student of Abokobi Presby '1' Basic School, Janet Welbeck, also expressed gratitude for the donation and expressed the hope that the availability of the sanitary pads would improve the state of mind of herself and her peers, as well as their attendance to school.