In some Ghanaian communities, the myths and taboos surrounding menstruation makes it very difficult for young girls to talk about their monthly period openly, and have appropriate support to manage their menstrual flow.
It is for this reason that, a Non-For-Profit Organisation, Heritage and Culture for Development (HECDEV), has organised a two-day menstrual awareness programme aimed at breaking the silence and shyness surrounding the topic of menstruation.
The programme targeted a total of 250 teenage girls in Amanorkrom community in the Akwapem -Mampong District of the Eastern Region as well as Okushibri in the Greater Accra Region.
As part of knowing how menstruation is managed, the young girls were taken through basic hygienic practices as well as helpful nutritional tips that are relevant to the management of menstruation.
Esi Obeng, Ambassador of the HECDEV Overseas Youth Programme, demonstrated the use of proper sanitary materials such as sanitary pads, tampons, sanitary cloth, etc.
She further encouraged them to exercise more during menstruation by doing petty chores in the house and walking around, to help blood circulation and ease cramps.
Also, Portia Bansa, Director of HECDEV, advised the young girls to consume green leafy vegetables, iron rich foods and many other body building foods during menstruation as these foods can help replace the blood that will be lost as a result of the monthly flow.
The resource persons introduced participants to a creative action tool called ‘Step into the Circle’.
As part of the process of breaking the shyness and secrecy around menstruation, the action required that a set of questions be read aloud and if it resonated with any participant, that participant was required to step into the large circle formed.
These questions related to menstruation and general personal lifestyles.
The purpose of this tool was to give the girls the assurance that they were not ‘in the boat’ alone as other girls have similar experiences and situations.
This action revealed that while many of the young girls are shy to talk to their male friends about their menstrual period, others are unable to even discuss the topic with their parents.
However, these same girls feel they will be more comfortable discussing menstruation with their female friends.
Only a handful expressed their confidence in going out to the public to talk about menstrual hygiene.
About 2% of the total number are comfortable going to school when they have their period because of the poor sanitary conditions in the schools.
To further encourage peer to peer sharing of issues on menstruation, the girls were put in groups of ten each to discuss their first menstrual experience, while encouraging those who had not yet menstruated to learn from their experiences.
Nana Manko Aba, queen mother of the Amanorkrom community urged HECDEV to continue the education and build the advocacy capacity of teenage girls so that they can become menstrual hygiene awareness ambassadors.
She pledged her continuous support for the project, and entreated the organizers to also raise awareness about teenage pregnancy which is becoming a menace in the region.
The organizers distributed sanitary wares to each participant, and called for more support to enable them break the myths of menstruation that still pertains in some underprivileged communities in Ghana.
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By: citinewsroom.com/Ghana
