SheRiz Foundation has donated sanitary pads and educated female students of Zanlerigu Junior High School in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region on menstrual hygiene ahead of Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026.
The initiative, led by the foundation’s founder, Teni Sarah Babohima, sought to support girls in deprived communities who struggle to access sanitary products during their menstrual periods.
Speaking during the donation exercise on behalf of the founder, Freda Nsobila said the foundation chose Zanlerigu JHS because of the challenges many girls in the area face in accessing sanitary pads and menstrual health education.
“We came to educate the girls on menstrual hygiene, how to keep themselves and also came with some sanitary pads for them,” she said.
According to her, many girls in rural communities are not adequately exposed to menstrual health information, making education on hygiene practices necessary.
Nsobila said each girl received sanitary pads to help them manage their menstrual periods with dignity and confidence.
“We know this part of the community is difficult for some of the girls to even get pads at the end of the month,” she said.
She added that the foundation observed positive responses from the students after an educational session facilitated by one of the team members, Jennifer Anapoka Agamolga.
“When we came, most of the girls were naive. They didn’t really know what menstrual hygiene was or how to keep themselves,” she said. “But after the education, the response was positive.”
The headmaster of Zanlerigu JHS, Abeere Awine Francis, expressed gratitude to the foundation for the support, describing it as timely and beneficial to the girls’ health and education.
“I believe this support will go a long way to help our girls, particularly on their menstrual health,” he said.
According to him, some female students absent themselves from school during their menstrual periods because they cannot afford sanitary products.
He said the donation would not only support the girls but also ease the financial burden on parents.
“When a girl comes to school and it happens, the girl will be shy. It might even make the girl absent herself for some number of days,” he said.
Francis further called on the foundation to extend similar support to other schools and communities within the district.
He commended the organization for what he described as a noble initiative aimed at improving the welfare and school attendance of girls.
