Pad Her Up Campaign: NGO provides menstrual hygiene support to rural girls

Access to proper menstrual hygiene practices and sanitary pads is a basic need for girls and women all over the world. 

Unfortunately, many girls in remote communities such as Obom in the Ga South District of Ghana do not have access to these basic menstrual hygiene needs.

The Intelligent Lady Network, a platform that seeks to empower women and girls from various walks of life, has for years supported girls in vulnerable communities. 

This year, the annual “Pad Her Up” campaign took place at the Obom Kojoman M/A Basic School, and prior to the event, last Friday, the team visited the school to interact with the girls on their routine menstrual hygiene needs.

The exclusive gave the team firsthand information on the nature of the situation in the village and the major challenges they faced during their period.

Girls are faced with difficulty in accessing sanitary pads and proper menstrual hygiene practices, and many of them are not aware of the importance of menstrual hygiene or how to properly care for themselves during their menstrual cycles. 

Importance

At the core of the campaign is the belief that basic needs of women and girls such as access to proper menstrual hygiene practices and sanitary pads should be enjoyed by all irrespective of where they find themselves.

The lack of access to proper menstrual hygiene practices can lead to a host of health issues and social stigma.

Social stigma was much prevalent among girls in this area and thus formed an underlying factor in propagating the theme for the year, “making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030”.

To address this issue, the network held an educative and informative session on the importance of proper menstrual hygiene practices and provided them with sanitary pads.

The group is committed to ending period poverty and making a difference in the lives of these girls to achieve their full potential.

Good menstrual health and hygiene practices can prevent infections, reduce odours and help girls stay comfortable during their period.

It is essential to choose the right menstrual product to absorb or collect blood during the period, including sanitary pads, tampons, menstrual cups, menstrual discs and period underwear.

"Pad Her Up Campaign" was committed to providing school girls in Obom Kojoman M/A Basic School with sanitary pads to ensure they have access to the right menstrual products.

In addition to providing sanitary pads, the network believes that educating girls on proper menstrual hygiene practices is crucial.

Many girls in remote communities such as Obom have inadequate information on the importance of menstrual hygiene or how to properly care for themselves during their menstrual cycles to prevent health issues, including bacterial vaginosis (BV) and urinary tract infection (UTI).

Educating girls on proper menstrual hygiene practices can prevent health issues and ensure that girls have the knowledge they need to take care of themselves.

The writer is a member of The Intelligent Lady Network