From the 6th to the 8th of October 2022, the Inspire Today Foundation will be in the Bolgatanga East District of Ghana's Upper East Region to support an estimated Five Thousand (5,000) menstruating girls in selected basic public schools in the Bolgatanga East District.
This visit is to commemorate International Day of the Girl Child, which is observed on 11th October each year.
Why the North?
According to a recent Plan International Ghana report, 83% of adolescent girls interviewed in the North sleep with men in exchange for sanitary pads. The study was necessary because data from the Wa East District revealed that early and unprotected sexual practices by adolescents are a common trend, exposing them to a variety of reproductive health challenges such as unplanned teenage pregnancies, dropping out of school, unsafe abortion, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and HIV/AIDS.
In the Wa East District, there were also many teenage pregnancies reported in 2020.
The girls will be provided with Sanitary pads, Bath soap/washing powder, underwear, Roll-ons, shaving sticks and educational materials.
Inspire Today foundation is working with MTN Ghana Foundation, Stanbic Bank, Adwinsa publications Ghana limited, asempa publishers, Adaex publishers and some benevolent individuals to ensure the success of the project.
Founder of Inspire Today and Director of Operations for the Ghana Chapter of the G100 Media Arts & Communication Wing (G100-MAC Ghana), Etornam Sey, is calling for a greater collaboration geared towards supporting girls in rural schools to access education. She explains that, the huge tax on sanitary pads makes it almost impossible for menstruating girls to go to school while menstruating. This is because they are unable to afford the pads and use all manner unhygienic materials including newspapers for menstruation.
Inspire Today Foundation is a network organisation nurturing a nationwide movement of female leaders through a concerted effort at achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 5.
Since 2019, the NGO has supported more than 20,000 menstruating girls in deprived communities within the Greater Accra, Volta and Central regions with what they require to stay in school. Inspire Today has over the years worked with the Ghana Chamber of mines, Wilmar Africa, MTN Ghana foundation, Stanbic bank, Step publishers, women in engineering, Lady Bird of ZEN petroleum, and several others to provide support for the girls.
