The Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Constituency, Rev Kweku Addo, together with the Municipal Chief Executive, George Nii Kpapo Allotey, on Wednesday, May 28, distributed hundreds of sanitary pads to students in the Ablekuma West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.

The program, which coincided with the World Menstrual Hygiene Day, was in line with President John Dramani Mahama's sanitary pads policy for girls, which aims to provide free sanitary pads to 2 million girls in public basic and secondary schools across the country.  

This initiative, according to the Municipal Chief Executive  George Nii Kpapo  seeks to reduce absenteeism caused by a lack of menstrual hygiene products, promote gender equality, and ensure that girls can manage their periods with dignity.

To commemorate the day, the MP Rev. Kweku Addo and his entourage joined a ceremony which was organised by the Ablekuma West Municipal Health Directorate in Collaboration with St Margaret Mary Senior High School and Touching the Life of Girls Foundation International, an NGO that advocates for sound menstrual hygiene care for girls.

It was under the Theme: Together For a #Periodfriendlyworld, the proramm brought together over 300 female students

The policy was launched on April 24 this year, seeks to reduce  school days missed by girls  due to menstruation-related challenges, Support girls' education and empowerment, and provide easy access to sanitary pads and promote healthy menstrual practices

Some of the expected outcomes of the policy include improved school attendance and retention among girls, reduced financial pressure on families to purchase sanitary products, and enhanced health and well-being of girls through proper menstrual hygiene management.

The Municipal Chief Executive and the MP shared a number of sanitary pads among the girls, presenting the main donation to the school authorities.

Addressing the students, Rev. Kweku Addo counselled the girls on their nature, adding that they should not be ashamed of how God created them because going through monthly periods is inevitable and they should inform their teachers about their conditions since  Some may come with pain, so if they hide it their teachers wouldn't know.

“For the teachers, I just want to encourage you, as you teach the children, you should be able to observe them, and you should be able to tell when their mood changes.

You teach a child for a term, you should be able to tell even when they are in that period or that state, you know.

Rev. Kweku Addo praised the President for introducing a policy that alleviates the suffering of parents..

From St Margaret Mary, they proceeded to interact with students attending this year’s  Subject Interaction, which was organised for the BECE Finalists who are about to write their final exams by the MP.

Subject Interaction is an annual event organised to prepare final year students preparing for the BECE.

He advised the students to refrain from any form of examination malpractices that have could under their performance.

He encouraged them to put up their best to enable them to obtain good grades, to enhance their chances of getting their first-choice schools

The 4-day programm, which took place at 4 centres s had examiners, facilitators, and teachers to psyche and educate them on sound examination practices.

About 3,200 students who benefited from the programm were drawn from both public and private schools.

Jimima Abubakar, a second-year student of the St. Margaret Senior High School press president Mahama for the free distribution of sanitary pads to girls.

She says it will help them overcome their various menstrual challenges.