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Edufirst Foundation, a Non- Governmental Organization based in the Central Region have sensitized female pupils of Breman Benin Basic School in the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District of the Central Region on menstrual hygiene education alongside the donation of 500 sanitary pads to female pupils of the school.

The gesture from the foundation mitigates the disturbing situation of 'period poverty' in which girls cannot buy sanitary pads during menstruation.

Edufirst is committed to menstrual hygiene education and donating sanitary pads to needy pupils in deprived communities among other programmes to promote the wellbeing of rural dwellers.

It is also setting its sight on promoting education and women empowerment, alleviating sexual abuse and sensitizing inhabitants on climate change.

On the education front, the foundation envisions supporting basic schools with computer and science laboratories which is a challenge in many rural schools.

In an interview, a Public Health Nurse, Madam Florence Adjei described the situation as worrying while accusing some farmers of taking advantage of girls from poor homes who cannot afford sanitary pads.

She regretted the fact that the district tops the chart on teenage pregnancy in the region, a situation she described as disturbing.

Madam Adjei urged parents to prioritize the needs and education of their children, particularly girls, then placing undue emphasis on attending social functions.

According to her, the situation where some parents do not even know the sleeping place of their children with other parents condoning their stay with friends was condemnable.

Over 500 girls, she said got impregnated and dropped out of school in 2022, a situation of immense concern to health workers.

Stakeholders also say the high incidence of period poverty was as a result of unscrupulous persons like taxi drivers and tricycle riders unduly exploiting these girls.

Pupils and children, she said, owe it a responsibility to themselves, their families and society to stay closer to their books in order to become responsible adults in future.

A handful of pupils interviewed appealed to relevant authorities to reduce the cost of sanitary pads to enable them to afford it and to prevent them from falling prey to men on the basis of 'period poverty'.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Edufirst, Mr Robert Dugan appealed to the government to remove the taxes on sanitary pads to afford girls from underprivileged communities the opportunity to buy them.

He wondered why sanitary pads produced in Ghana would be sold at exorbitant prices.

According to him, the economic situation in most rural communities was relatively dire adding that there was therefore the need to subsidize the product to enable them to benefit.

He called for support from the donor community, institutions and public-spirited individuals to enable it to meet its objective of bettering the lot of rural communities.
The Foundation is currently sponsored by E. O Boakye Trust Fund and individual donors.