2024 Menstrual Hygiene Day: Fremah Opare donates 2,400 pieces of sanitary pads to female school children

Chief of Staff Akosua Fremah Opare-Osei has generously donated 2,400 sanitary pads to female school children of the Bantama Circuit of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the Ashanti region.

This initiative is aimed at supporting the girls during their menstrual cycles and ensuring they have access to sustained high-quality feminine hygiene products.

This donation is part of the activities marking the 2024 Menstrual Hygiene Day celebration, held on May 28 under the global theme “PeriodFriendlyWorld.” The annual observance aims to break taboos and raise awareness about menstrual health and hygiene worldwide.

The donation was presented on behalf of the Chief of Staff by Nana Afia Kyeiwaa, the Queen Mother of Race Course Market, during an event at Adventist Senior High School in Bantama.

In a message read on her behalf, the Chief of Staff emphasized her duty as a mother to improve the personal hygiene of the children, whom she considers her grandchildren. She expressed her commitment to making this donation regularly to build the girls' confidence, enable consistent school attendance, prevent embarrassing experiences, and help them adapt to the use of medically proven disposable menstrual pads.

Akosua Fremah Opare-Osei also advised the girls not to let men exploit them by promising to buy them pads during their menstrual periods, which can often lead to pregnancy. She encouraged the girls to view menstruation as a normal part of life and to seek guidance from their mothers or female teachers if they have any issues.

Joana Quarshie Jnr, who received the sanitary pads on behalf of the Kumasi Metro Education Directorate, expressed gratitude to the Chief of Staff for the thoughtful gesture. She noted that this donation addresses some of the significant challenges faced by female students during their menstrual cycles, particularly absenteeism during class hours.

The event, organized by Live the Dream Foundation, included educational sessions on maintaining good hygiene during menstruation. Ivy Oppong Wireko, the Patron of Live the Dream Foundation, emphasized to the children that menstruation is a natural cycle and they should not accept narratives that stigmatize them as unclean.

The girls expressed their excitement about the education they received on menstruation and were grateful for the sanitary pads and the efforts of both the Chief of Staff and Live the Dream Foundation.