The issue of menstrual hygiene is inadequately acknowledged and has received less action in most societies. Menstrual hygiene management is an essential aspect of hygiene for women and adolescent girls between menarche and menopause. Despite being an important issue concerning women and girls in the menstruating age group, menstrual hygiene management is often overlooked in our homes and schools.

Unhygienic menstrual practices and lack of sanitation facilities such as proper toilet facilities with running water and soap, proper pins for the disposal of used sanitary pads in schools makes school girls vulnerable to emotional, physical and health challenges during their menstruation days.

The objective of organizing this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Workshop themed “My Period My Pride” is to educate the school girls on the practice of good menstrual hygiene, how to manage their menstruation with confidence, safety, dignity and comfort using safe hygiene materials, together with adequate water and disposal with privacy.

WASH in Schools (WinS) promotes inclusiveness and individual self-respect by offering an alternative to the stigma and marginalization associated with hygiene issues. In recognition of the positive impact on girls’ school attendance and achievements, Bricklane Development Group a civil infrastructure industry with a corporate policy that focuses on gender parity in the industry embark on Menstrual Hygiene Awareness Program annually.

The Menstrual Hygiene awareness workshop was part of Bricklane’s Corporate Social Responsibility project, which aimed at addressing adolescent girls’ menstrual hygiene management needs, through WASH in Schools (WinS) program and also to ensure absenteeism attributed to menstruation are avoided.   

In collaboration with the Ghana Education Service and Ghana Health Service, the workshop was organized at Oyarifa Presby Primary and Junior High School for more than 500 girls in the La-Nkwantanang Madina Municipality, to empower girls on the importance of good menstrual hygiene.

After educating the girls on proper menstrual hygiene practices, Bricklane distributed sanitary pads to all the girls who took part in the program.

The company has taken upon itself to undertake such programs annually with the fundamental goal of empowering girls in society and bringing to the fore the need for community schools to have access to sanitation and hygiene facilities.