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Let’s talk openly about menses, sex — Nana Ama Adutwumwaa
On that day, these groups embark on different campaigns to promote good menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) for women and girls.
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For some of these groups, nothing is heard of them and their activities beyond the annual commemoration.
According to Nana Ama Adutwumwaa, menstrual hygiene campaigns should not be a day’s event but a continuous effort to educate the public, particularly young girls, on the essence of good menstrual health and hygiene.
Ms Adutwumwaa, who runs a non-profit organisation, Touching The Lives Of Girls Foundation International (TTLGFI), says she believes that such campaigns must run throughout the year and be spread to rural areas.
Ms Adutwumwaa started her advocacy after a personal experience which nearly claimed her life
She stated: “Visiting schools and communities, distributing sanitary items and educating girls on good menstrual hygiene practices on International Menstrual Hygiene Day are laudable but beyond the day, we must continue to engage and support the girls to practise what we preach.”
“If you visit a rural area and give a girl two sanitary pads after a campaign and you don’t get in touch again or follow up till the following year or two years after, it will be difficult to assess the impact of the campaign,” she said in an interview in Accra on Wednesday.
Menstruation taboos
Ms Adutwumwaa’s foundation focuses on feminine hygiene and women empowerment and she stated that to date menstruation, which is a natural part of a woman’s health cycle, is still rooted in many taboos.
According to her, some still hide their menarche, (the first occurrence of menstruation) from their parents and use inappropriate sanitary materials until they are “caught” with blood stains.
The foundation builds personal relationships with girls they interact with
“When a child loses a tooth, they rush to show it to their parents or guardians but if most girls start menstruating, they don’t have the confidence to discuss it with their parents. Usually, they first speak to their peers to find out if any had experienced it and seek advice. Why will a child show a tooth to an adult and not discuss her menses? They hardly hear anyone talk about it so they assume it’s not an issue that must be discussed. We must begin to talk openly about menstruation, sex and other topics we think are beyond children. If you have a daughter, once she passes a certain age you must talk about menstruation and teach her what to do before she seeks “help” from outside,” she explained.
Personal experience
Ms Adutwumwaa said her passion for issues related to feminine hygiene was born out of a personal experience.
She recounts how she battled with a severe pelvic infection that spread to her ovaries and subsequently developed into cysts, saying doctors who performed the surgeries on her attributed the growth to years of improper menstrual hygiene practices.
Earlier this year, the Melcom Care Foundation donated 100 cartons of sanitary pads to be distributed to school girls in the Volta and Ashanti regions
“When they mentioned that, I didn’t really understand them but I thought through it and remembered that when I started menstruating, I hid it from my mother for a period and used rags as sanitary towels till I could save enough to buy sanitary pads. I also spoke to some friends and they advised I could also use toilet rolls. Unknowingly, particles from the toilet rolls and rags I used in the early days had piled up, causing severe infection,” she told The Mirror.
In all the communities visited, the foundation has involved traditional rulers, particularly queen mothers and some opinion leaders
She mentioned that her experience happened years ago, but to date, many young girls used inappropriate sanitary towels because they were shy to talk about their menses or did not have access to them.
“During our campaigns, I have realised only a few of them are bold to ask questions or make contributions so after the main events, I try to chat with them informally and some of the questions they ask are shocking and this is mainly because issues related to feminine hygiene are not discussed openly,” she stated.
Building confidence and empowering girls
Since establishment six years ago, the TTLGFI has visited over 300 schools across the country campaigning on good menstrual health and hygiene and empowering young girls.
In all the communities they have visited, they involve traditional rulers, particularly queen mothers and some opinion leaders so they add their voices to the campaign.
The paramount queen mother of Akpini Traditional Area, Mamaga Agbalesi II, has been instrumental in the success of the event
Ms Adutwumwaa said her foundation had built relationships with most girls in those schools and had partnered teachers in the schools to continue the campaign all year round while the foundation provided the resources they (teachers) needed to continue the advocacy.
She said she was aware some girls stayed out of school during their menses and so her campaign was not only targeted at reducing the risks of infections but also building the confidence of young girls.
Ms Adutwumwaa demonstrating how to fix a sanitary pad
“Our aim is to break the stigma and make them feel confident and comfortable all the time. We are also focused on changing their minds so they can impact on their peers in areas we are unable to reach,” she added.
“Our campaign is not limited to menstruation. We are also teaching girls how to sit in public, how to use public washrooms, selecting proper underwear and sanitary materials and other female related issues.”
She expressed gratitude to the schools, teachers, traditional leaders, opinion leaders and corporate organisations that had supported the cause since she started.
Dr John Kwamina Bosomtwe, an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist interacting with girls at one of the events organised this year
“Last year, we couldn’t do much because of COVID-19 and the restrictions on social gatherings. This year we have already organised two major events and we are constantly in touch with some of the schools where we have organised events. We still have a number of projects to embark on before the year ends,” she stated.