Female Students in five Junior High Schools in the Obuasi Municipal area are the proud beneficiaries of over a thousand sanitary pads, given to them by the management of AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi mine.
The beneficiary schools are; Sanso, Apitikoko, Nhyieso and Anyinam A and B, with each of the students taking home five sanitary pads.
Mrs. Mavis Nana Yaa Kyei, Social Development and Gender Superintendent of the company, who represented the Senior Manager Sustainability, noted that lack of access to sanitary products, clean water and appropriate facilities pose significant health risks and hamper girls’ ability to participate fully in education, work and social activities.
According to her, the situation is worsened by the persistent stigma surrounding menstruation, which leads to feeling of shame and exclusion.
Mrs. Nana Yaa Kyei noted that issues like the lack of clean running water in changing and wash rooms, which affect women as part of several educational infrastructural projects are being addressed under the Education Improvement Programme of the 10-Year Socio Economic Development Plan being rolled out by AngloGold Ashanti.
She announced that AngloGold, in partnership with GIZ, the Ghana Education Service and Ghana Health Service hope to contribute to ending period poverty by providing girls with necessary resource to manage their menstruation effectively and that 10,000 sanitary pads are being distributed to schools in Obuasi East and Obuasi Municipal.
Madam Sara Appiah Kubi, a midwife who was part of the team, took the female Students through menstrual cycle education.
Mrs. Cecilia Salifu, in charge of Girl Child Education at the Obuasi Municipal Education Directorate said if for some reason the female student is unable to get sanitary pad during her menstruation and decides to stay at home, her education would be seriously affected.
From Frederick Danso Abeam, Obuasi
