Talensi: The Ghana Chamber of Mines, alongside Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited (CNML), has extended its support to 500 school girls in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region by donating sanitary pads.
According to Ghana News Agency, this initiative is part of the Purple Peach project, a significant effort by the Ghana Chamber of Mines to enhance menstrual health, dignity, and equal educational opportunities for girls in underserved communities. During a brief ceremony at Datoko, Ing. Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, emphasized the importance of supporting girls to remain in school and achieve their full potential. He highlighted that the initiative is not just about distributing sanitary towels but ensuring that no girl is left behind due to a natural biological process, framing menstrual health as an issue of dignity, confidence, and empowerment.
Dr Ashigbey underscored the necessity of proper menstrual hygiene management to sustain girls' education, asserting that the development of Ghana and Africa hinges on providing females with equal opportunities. The Purple Peach Project is part of the Chamber's wider Corporate Social Responsibility agenda, aiming to deliver free, safe, and sustainable menstrual hygiene products to girls, along with education on menstrual health and gender equality. He reaffirmed that supporting menstrual health is crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goal five, which focuses on gender equality.
In his remarks, Dr Ashigbey reiterated the Chamber's dedication to advancing the welfare of women and girls, particularly in mining-host communities. He stated that the initiative exemplifies how mining can be a catalyst for social transformation, not just an extractive enterprise. Through the Ghana Chamber of Mines' Tertiary Education Fund, more than US$2 million has been invested in educational infrastructure, bursaries, research grants, and training programs since 2019.
Dr Ashigbey also shared transformative stories of beneficiaries, such as a young woman whose university education was enabled after her father's passing and another who advanced from a community volunteer to a full-time mine employee. He praised CNML for its ongoing investments in the Upper East Region and its strong partnerships with local authorities and traditional leaders in education, health, skills training, and livelihoods.
Mr Ahmed Dasana Nantogmah, COO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, reiterated the Chamber's commitment to initiatives promoting dignity, education, and opportunity, which he described as the essence of responsible mining. He noted that the Purple Peach initiative is one of the Chamber's longest-running social responsibility programs, operating for nearly a decade to empower rural communities and schoolchildren.
Mr QI Xuanya, Vice President of CNML, reaffirmed the company's commitment to the area's development and called for stronger collaboration to improve the health and education of young people. He expressed hope that the donation would significantly support girls in maintaining menstrual hygiene and staying in school.
Madam Christiana Ayinezoya Azure, Talensi District Director of the Ghana Education Service, commended the Ghana Chamber of Mines and CNML for their donation, highlighting that this gesture would enhance school attendance among girls.