The Development Bank Ghana (DBG), a wholesale development finance institution established by the government, has intensified efforts to tackle period poverty among adolescent girls in northern Ghana with a sensitisation programme and donation of sanitary towels.
In line with that a total of 100 boxes of sanitary towels were donated to students of the Bolgatanga Senior High School on Monday, May 24.
Corporate social responsibility
The initiative formed part of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme on menstrual hygiene management, which sought to educate girls on proper menstrual hygiene practices, break the stigma surrounding menstruation, and support vulnerable students who struggle to access sanitary products.
The Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at DBG, Barbara Anawuno Wrikette, addressing students during the programme, said menstruation was a natural phase of life that should not prevent girls from achieving their academic and personal aspirations.
She explained that the intervention was designed not only to distribute sanitary towels but also to create a safe environment for girls to openly discuss their fears, concerns, and experiences regarding menstruation.
“We are here today at Bolgatanga Senior High School to sensitise the girls on the importance of menstrual hygiene, get them to believe that it is a natural phase in life and to share with us their worrying questions and fears,” she said.
Tackling period poverty
Ms Wrikette said the bank considered the intervention necessary because many girls in deprived communities continued to face challenges in accessing sanitary products, a situation that affected their confidence, dignity and school attendance.
She disclosed that the bank was distributing 10,000 sanitary towels as part of the menstrual hygiene campaign, with similar outreach programmes planned for Tamale and the Ashanti Region.
Beyond the menstrual hygiene campaign, Ms Wrikette reiterated DBG’s broader mandate of supporting economic growth through medium to long-term financing for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“We are here to provide medium to long-term financing through the banks we work with to SMEs.
In this, we want to create jobs, empower companies to become self-sufficient and employ more people so Ghana can become economically independent again,” she added.
Challenge
The Senior Housemistress of the school, Ernestina Gbeng, commended DBG for the intervention, describing menstruation management as a major challenge confronting some female students.
She said that although some organisations, such as CAMFED, had supported selected students with sanitary pads over the years, many girls still struggled to afford sanitary products.
“You wouldn’t believe that some of them still use rags and other materials because of a lack of funds to buy sanitary pads,” she lamented.
Mrs Gbeng said the sensitisation programme was timely because some girls lacked adequate knowledge on menstruation and menstrual hygiene, especially first-year students adjusting to boarding school life.
Appreciation
A student, Patience Kundung, speaking on behalf of her colleagues, confirmed that due to financial constraints, some of them resorted to using pieces of cloth during their menstrual periods, which they washed, dried and reused repeatedly.
According to her, the situation often exposed some of them to discomfort and embarrassment in school, making such support from the DBG very necessary.
“We really appreciate this support and we want them to continue supporting us so that we will be comfortable in school to study,” she said.
