School girls taught how to use sanitary pads

PIC: Girls of Nyanga Rubingo primary school after recieving pads. (Credit: Adolf Ayoreka)    

EDUCATION

By Adolf Ayoreka

MBARARA - In a bid to reduce on the number of school-drop outs,  due to menstrual conditions, Uganda Volunteering Group (UGVOG) launched a campaign and donated sanitary pads to Rubingo Nyaza Primary school in Kashari South county, Mbarara district over the weekend.

Beforehanding over the pads, over 100 girls were first taught on how to use the sanitary towels.

The event was officiated by the Kashari South Member of Parliament, Nathan Itungo as the guest of honor and the meeting was also attended by the children's parents.

Itugo, who sits on the education committee of parliament noted that according to their policy paper, they are planning on how they can help the education minstry on how to partener with organisations to  partner with schools to provide sanitary towels to girls in schools.

"In the policy paper, we suggest that each girl child should be getting sanitary pads, but government has not yet got money.

"In the meantime, we are getting good patriots such as UGAVOG to do this job on our behalf as government, we higly commend their job because we have few people who have a heart of giving." Itungo said.

The team of UGAVOG with pupils in a group.(Credit: Adolf Ayoreka)

He added that as a leader, he is going to support the campaign which they have started in Mbarara.

Itungo thanked them for setting up a good precedence to help school girls to comfortably stay in school he however noted that this should be entirely a responsibility of parents.

"I call upon parents to ensure that they open up with their children and explain this menstrual condition to their girls so that they take it as normal life change.  So do not abandon your responsibilities" Itungo said.
 
Gilbert Karengye the coordinator of the programme under UGAVOG noted that girls have been victims of forced marriage by their parents after dropping out of schools.

"Most parents have taken advantage of their daughters, some have refused to provide these pads under the pretex of lack of money yet they get money to buy waragi, after droping out, they end up forcing them to get married which worries the education sector, that's why we invited you parents to come and learn these things."

He said this campaign will run for five years and that they have plans to get reusable pads which are cost effective to be able supply all the primary schools in Mbarara.