Tongu: Parents and Teachers Associations (PTAs) in three basic schools located in the South and Central Tongu districts have pledged to create community-led funding systems to maintain menstrual hygiene initiatives. These initiatives were initially introduced through a volunteer-led project aimed at enhancing girls' education and wellbeing.
According to Ghana News Agency, the commitment emerged during engagement meetings organized by the Gender and Reproductive Health Advocacy Youth Network (GRAY Network). This was under the Strengthening Volunteer-Led Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), and Life Skills Education in Schools and Communities Project, with assistance from the STAR-Ghana Foundation.
The schools benefiting from this initiative include 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 meetings convened parents, teachers, school management, officials from the Ghana Education Service, traditional and community leaders, and GRAY Network representatives. They assessed the impact of the intervention and discussed ways to ensure its sustainability beyond the project's implementation period.
Participants noted that the initiative, executed by trained community volunteers, had notably increased girls' confidence, decreased menstrual-related absenteeism, and enhanced their participation in classroom activities. This was achieved through the provision of reusable sanitary pads, menstrual hygiene education, and life skills training.
Parents highlighted that the reusable sanitary pads alleviated the financial burden of purchasing disposable sanitary products monthly, especially for vulnerable households. This contributed to better menstrual health management among adolescent girls.
In a bid to sustain the intervention, the PTAs decided to establish Menstrual Hygiene Support Funds at their respective schools. These funds aim to mobilize local resources to produce additional reusable sanitary pads, support vulnerable girls, and finance menstrual hygiene education and related activities.
Stakeholders also agreed to draft and sign Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the PTAs, the beneficiary schools, and the GRAY Network. These MoUs will clearly delineate the roles and responsibilities of each party in maintaining menstrual hygiene interventions and promoting girls' education, health, and wellbeing.
Mr. Mensah Godsway, Programme Manager of GRAY Network, expressed that the project showcased volunteerism as an effective strategy for sustainable community development by empowering local actors to take ownership of development interventions. He praised the PTAs' decision to establish community support funds and formalize partnerships through MoUs, underscoring the communities' commitment to sustaining the project's benefits beyond the donor funding period.
GRAY Network remains dedicated to collaborating with schools, parents, community leaders, and relevant institutions to bolster menstrual hygiene management, advance sexual and reproductive health education, and ensure that adolescent girls continue to access education in safe, supportive, and inclusive environments.
Representatives from the PTAs, school authorities, and the Ghana Education Service applauded GRAY Network and the STAR-Ghana Foundation for their intervention. They described it as a timely initiative that improved girls' school attendance, confidence, and participation in academic activities.
They vowed to work together to mobilize community resources and fulfill the commitments outlined in the MoUs to secure the initiative's sustainability.
Parents and beneficiary students shared their experiences, revealing how the reusable sanitary pads had restored confidence among adolescent girls, reduced absenteeism, and enabled full participation in academic activities without fear or embarrassment. Teachers also reported significant improvements in attendance, concentration, and classroom participation among girls who previously missed lessons due to their menstrual periods.
The stakeholder engagements are part of GRAY Network's strategy to promote community ownership of the volunteer-led initiative. This ensures that menstrual hygiene management remains a core element of efforts to promote inclusive education, gender equality, and the wellbeing of adolescent girls in the beneficiary communities.