The Melcom Care Foundation, a subsidiary of Melcom Group has donated 100 cartons of sanitary pads to the ‘Touching The Lives of Girls Foundation’ International to mark this year’s World Menstrual Hygiene Day.
The sanitary pads totalling 2,000 pieces will be evenly distributed to young girls in the Volta and Ashanti regions.
Director of Communication, Melcom Group, Godwin Avenorgbo, who presented the cartons of pads on behalf of the foundation, said Melcom Care is pleased to associate itself with the Foundation which was undertaking a noble cause.
He said the support would ensure girls in the targeted areas have a regular and safe means of maintaining their menstrual hygiene.
Mr Avenorgbo added that in many rural areas in Ghana, the lack of sanitary pads promotes the use of unhygienic materials by young girls and sometimes may absent themselves from school during the period of their menstrual cycle to prevent the embarrassment of soiling their uniforms through leakages and other avoidable experience.
“Melcom Care Foundation has therefore decided to lend a supportive hand to the initiative of Touching the Lives of Girls Foundation International by donating 100 cartons of sanitary pads made up of 2,000 pieces to the Volta and Ashanti region with 1,000 pieces each for distribution,” he said.
Mr Avenorgbo further stated that the distribution of the 2,000 pieces of sanitary pads will relieve the hardship and expense of acquiring sanitary pads needed by the school-going children.
He added, “this will build their confidence, enable regular school attendance without break, avoid the embarrassing experience, and improved the overall personal health and quality living of our young girls in the country”.
The Chief Executive Officer, Touching The Lives of Girls Foundation international, Nana Ama Adutwumwaa expressed joy and gratitude to Melcom Care Foundation for their timely support to the needy girls in the country.
She also lamented the lack of support from government organizations and other NGOs in providing pads for needy girls in rural areas.
She said, “In Ghana, we see support for external assistance to provide free condom for people who choose to engage in sexual activities yet we have millions of young school girls who cannot afford pads for their monthly menstrual cycle and are forced to absent themselves from school for 4 to 5 days every month”.
Madam Adutwumwaa described the situation as awful, calling on various organizations in the country to support the initiatives to reach out to more girls in the country.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke