Afrika Nyornu in Ghana has launched the ‘Sew a Pad and Stay in School’ (SaPSiS) project as an effort to provide girls with clean and affordable menstrual hygiene products.

Development Diaries reports that about 120 girls drawn from Agorvie M/A Basic School, Kpelikorpe M/A Basic School and Torvie M/A Basic School took part in a training session to begin the project.

The objective of the project was to teach young girls how to use local fabrics to sew sanitary pads that could be reused to reduce the financial burden on the girls and their parents.

It is understood that the cost of sanitary pads, lack of water supply, dirty washrooms, and lack of hygienic cleansing materials all contribute to the challenges encountered by girls.

According to a study carried out by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), 95 percent of girls in the small-scale study reported sometimes missing school due to menstruation.

Speaking at the launch of the SaPSiS project, the Head of Afrika Nyornu, Gifty Nartey, said the aim of the programme was to equip the pupils with the necessary skills needed to be able to sew reusable sanitary pads for themselves and others.

‘The reusable sanitary pads are made of materials that can absorb menstrual blood for four hours’, Nartey said.

‘Just like any other menstrual material, it has to be changed every four hours to prevent staining and discomfort’.

Nartey added that the organisation was keen on providing comprehensive education and awareness of menstrual health and empowering individuals with the needed knowledge to make informed decisions and ensure their well-being.

Photo source: Afrika Nyornu