🔊 Menstrual health drive launched for West Nile schoolgirls
By providing reusable sanitary pads and life-skills education, the partnership seeks to empower girls to manage their menstrual health with dignity and remain in school without interruption.
iamond Trust Bank (DTB) officials handover the pads. (Courtesy photos)
By Jonathan Driliga
Journalists @New Vision
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The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) have distributed reusable sanitary pads to vulnerable schoolgirls in Moyo and Obongi districts in the West Nile sub-region, as part of the #AchieveMoreGirl initiative.
The effort is aimed at combating school absenteeism and promoting menstrual health management among school-age girls.
The #AchieveMoreGirl initiative, a component of DTB’s corporate social responsibility programme, directly supports UNFPA’s Strengthening Adolescents and Youth Rights and Empowerment (SAY) Programme.
By providing reusable sanitary pads and life-skills education, the partnership seeks to empower girls to manage their menstrual health with dignity and remain in school without interruption.
According to Alex Chono, the Delivery and Coordination Programme Specialist from UNFPA, their partnership with DTB is crucial in ensuring these girls have the resources and knowledge they need to thrive.
He said the initiative not only provides girls with essential supplies but also creates a platform for open discussions about menstrual health.
Terry Anyanzo, the secretary for social services in Moyo district, while representing the district chairperson during the distribution, cautioned the beneficiaries against selling the reusable sanitary pads.
Under this initiative, DTB has committed $106,458 (approx. sh391.5 million) to benefit 10,000 schoolgirls by providing comprehensive reusable sanitary kits.
Each kit contains five reusable sanitary pads, two pairs of underwear, a backpack, and an educational booklet in three languages. Designed to last up to two years, these kits offer a sustainable solution to menstrual hygiene.