In commemoration of World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2018, the Network of Professional Women in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WiWASH) Ghana Chapter, has partnered the Ga South Municipal Assembly to educate school girls in the Bortianor Circuit, on proper menstrual hygiene and donated sanitary pads to the school girls.

The ceremony which took place at the Bethel Methodist Church Auditorium in Bortianor on May 28, hingded on the theme “Empowering Women and Girls through Good Menstrual Hygiene Management”.

In a speech, Mrs. Faustina Boachie, President of WiWASH narrated a story to depict how the subject of menstruation, was still shrouded in secrecy and shame and so girls and women in their menses had a lot of prohibitions.

“We have come a long way on the issue, but menstruation is still a topic that is not discussed thoroughly at home and in schools. Schools which talk about it do so for academic purposes” said Mrs. Boachie.

Mrs. Boachie said because the topic of menstruation was not widely talked about, many girls do not have access to enough information about it and are usually ill-prepared by the time they have their first periods. As a result, she said, many girls do not know how to adopt healthy and hygienic practices during menstruation.

She therefore urged parents, guardians and teachers to take education on menstruation a notch higher. She also encourages the school girls not to be limited or shy about their periods and that it was a natural thing and not a disease.

“During your menses, do well to bath twice daily, use clean undergarments, change your pads regularly and keep the area between your legs dry,” Mrs. Boachie said.

Other dignitaries at the event, including Mrs. Angela Attoh, the Municipal School Health and Education Programmes Coordinator, took turns to educate the school girls on proper hygiene and demonstrate the proper usage of the sanitary pad.

The school girls sang songs and performed drama pieces to demonstrate their understanding of what proper menstrual hygiene was.