The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) management demonstrated its commitment to the well-being and empowerment of young girls and women on Thursday, March 27, 2025, by donating sanitary pads to selected schools and Sekondi Female Prisons in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis. This initiative, held as part of the Assembly’s celebration of Ghana Month, seeks to promote menstrual hygiene awareness and support the education and dignity of beneficiaries. Led by the Metropolitan Coordinating Director (MCD), Mr. Innocent Haligah, the Assembly donated a total of 38 boxes and 10 pieces of sanitary pads purchased from contributions of management members of the Assembly to the Twin-City Special School at Essipong, Sekondi School for the Deaf, Catholic Special Vocational School at Fijai, St Matthaeus Catholic School at New Takoradi and the Sekondi Female Prisons. The gesture aims to address a major challenge for many young girls and women, which often results in absenteeism from school and challenges in maintaining personal hygiene.

In his remarks, Mr. Haligah emphasized the importance of menstrual hygiene and the role of the Assembly in ensuring that no girl’s education or well-being is disrupted due to a lack of access to sanitary products. “This donation is part of the government’s broader efforts to support young girls and vulnerable women in our communities. Menstrual hygiene should never be a barrier to education or dignity, and the Assembly is committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure that girls remain in school and women in challenging situations receive support,” he stated. The event also featured an educational session on menstrual hygiene management, during which a Public Health Nurse, Madam Sarah Atimbisah, educated the students and inmates on proper menstrual care and dispelled common myths surrounding menstruation.

Receiving the items, heads of the beneficiary schools and Sekondi Female Prisons expressed their gratitude to the Assembly for the kind gesture, noting that the donation would greatly relieve the students and inmates of the financial burden of purchasing sanitary pads. “Sometimes I miss school because I don’t have pads, but this donation will help me stay in class and focus on my studies,” said one of the students from St. Matthaeus Catholic School. As part of the Ghana Month celebrations, STMA lined up a series of activities, including Wear Ghanaian Fabric and Designs, and Taste Ghanaian Dishes, all aimed at fostering national pride and development. The Assembly reassured the public of its continuous commitment to initiatives that promote the health, education, and overall welfare of the youth and vulnerable groups within the metropolis. The STMA urged other organizations and stakeholders to join hands in ensuring that every girl and woman has access to the necessary resources for a dignified and empowered future.