Parents, teachers and community leaders in the South and Central Tongu districts have pledged to sustain menstrual hygiene interventions introduced in three basic schools through locally driven funding initiatives aimed at keeping girls in school.
The commitment was made during stakeholder engagement meetings organised by the Gender and Reproductive Health Advocacy Youth Network (GRAY Network) under its Strengthening Volunteer-Led Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), and Life Skills Education in Schools and Communities Project.
The project, supported by the STAR-Ghana Foundation, targeted Atsieve D/A Basic School and Avakpedome D/A Basic School in the South Tongu District, as well as Lakpo D/A Basic School in the Central Tongu District.
The engagement meetings brought together parents, teachers, school authorities, Ghana Education Service officials, traditional leaders, community representatives and project implementers to assess the impact of the initiative and develop strategies to maintain its gains beyond the funding period.
Participants noted that the intervention had contributed significantly to improving girls’ confidence, reducing absenteeism linked to menstruation and increasing their participation in classroom activities through the provision of reusable sanitary pads, menstrual hygiene education and life skills training.
Parents said the reusable pads had reduced the financial pressure associated with purchasing disposable sanitary products, particularly for families facing economic challenges, while helping adolescent girls manage menstruation with greater dignity.
As part of efforts to sustain the programme, the Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) agreed to establish Menstrual Hygiene Support Funds in the beneficiary schools.
The funds will be used to support the production of additional reusable sanitary pads, provide assistance to vulnerable girls and finance menstrual hygiene education activities within the schools.
The PTAs, schools and GRAY Network also agreed to formalise their partnership through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) that will define the responsibilities of each stakeholder in maintaining the programme and promoting girls’ education and wellbeing.
Programme Manager of GRAY Network, Mr Mensah Godsway, said the project had demonstrated the power of volunteer-led initiatives in creating lasting community impact.
He said the decision by communities to establish support funds and formalise partnerships showed strong local ownership and increased the likelihood that the intervention would continue after donor support ended.
Mr Godsway reaffirmed GRAY Network’s commitment to working with schools, parents, community leaders and relevant institutions to strengthen menstrual hygiene management and sexual and reproductive health education.
Representatives from the PTAs, school management and the Ghana Education Service praised GRAY Network and the STAR-Ghana Foundation for introducing an initiative they described as critical to improving girls’ access to education.
They pledged to mobilise community resources and uphold commitments contained in the MoUs to ensure the continued success of the programme.
Some parents and students shared experiences of how the reusable sanitary pads had improved girls’ confidence and reduced the embarrassment and disruptions often associated with menstruation.
Teachers also reported improvements in attendance, concentration and participation among female students who previously missed classes during their menstrual periods.
The stakeholder engagements form part of GRAY Network’s broader sustainability strategy to ensure that menstrual hygiene management remains embedded in efforts to promote gender equality, inclusive education and the wellbeing of adolescent girls in the Tongu communities.
