Mr Razak Nkrumah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ZAK Foundation, a non-profitable organization, has urged girls in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region to keep their heads up as females, especially during menstruation.

He emphasized that menstruation was not a disease or a taboo but, a natural biological experience for women and girls and also explained that it indicated the transition to womanhood for girls.

Menstrual Hygiene Day

The month of May every year has been set aside to celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day globally under specific themes and this year’s as“We are committed to creating a Ghana Where Every Girl Child and Women Have Access to Period Friendly Facilitates”.

The programme was organized in collaboration with the Birim North Girl Child Education Unit under the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) with sponsorship from GLICO General.

Mr. Nkrumah and the entire crew of ZAK Foundation visited girls in selected Junior High schools within the Birim North District to raise awareness of better menstrual hygiene and empower the female students to be confident during menstruation.

He donated over 500 sanitary pads to the girls to encourage them and also indicated that it was not a shame to own a sanitary pad and use one when necessary.

Mr Nkrumah expressed worry about the high cases of teenage pregnancies in the district, which he attributed to peer influence and called on parents to be guide their wards, especially during occasions such as funerals.

Mrs Juliet Akyea Frimpong, the Girl Child Coordinator educated the girls to ensure hygiene and abstain from sex during menstruation to prevent teenage and unwanted pregnancies.
Some students who benefited from the initiative expressed their joy to the Foundation for reducing the burden on their parents on the purchase of sanitary pads

Dr Nana Boakye Darkwah II, the Chief of Pankese and the Akyem Mponuahene who graced the occasion advised the female students to desist from immoral activities that could damage their future.

He also urged the male teachers to avoid having sexual contact with the female students and entreated them to educate them more on activities that could jeopardize their education.

Mr Charles Kofi Acheampong, the Director of the District Education Service called on the Birim North District Assembly to provide public schools with special changing rooms for the female students to feel comfortable during their menstruation.