The Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) has launched the Period Health Empowerment Guide (PHEG)—a new women’s empowerment resource aimed at equipping young people, families, and communities across Ghana and beyond with practical knowledge on menstruation, sexual and reproductive health, dignity, and self-care.
The launch of the PHEG formed part of this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day celebrations held in Bolgatanga.
The program was organized by GAYO and its SHARE Project partners—WaterAid Ghana, FAWE, Right To Play, and FHI360—under the theme: “Menstrual Health and Climate Action: Making the Pad Policy Work for Every Girl.”
Speaking on behalf of GAYO’s Executive Director, Richard Matey, GAYO’s Project Coordinator, Benedict Fosu Arthur, described the guide as a “portable revolution” that gives every young person the clarity and confidence to understand their body and manage menstruation with dignity.
“We launch not just a guide, but a declaration that every girl, whether in Bolga or Bongo, Tamale or Tumu, has the right to know her body, understand her cycle, and walk in dignity,” he said.
Initiated by GAYO in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, with input from the Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights, the PHEG offers a compact, user-friendly reference adaptable for diverse communities. It addresses the physical, emotional, and hygienic aspects of menstrual and sexual health.
The guide also includes information on climate change, its relationship with menstruation, and environmentally responsible disposal practices.
The launch event brought together key regional stakeholders, including the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, Department of Gender, traditional leaders, district assemblies, educators, NGOs, students, and youth from various communities.
Mr. Fosu Arthur emphasized that, while the guide is comprehensive, its classroom application must align with guidelines from the Ghana Education Service (GES).
Meanwhile, GAYO’s Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) school program, run in partnership with GES, has expanded from 3 to 9 junior high schools in Kassena Nankana West, reaching over 1,000 students—including boys.
What makes the program particularly impactful is how the sessions are delivered—not by external facilitators, but by trained youth from the same communities, making the learning both personal and sustainable.
The launch also reignited conversations around Ghana’s Free Sanitary Pad Policy, with calls for more than just distribution. Stakeholders emphasized the need for proper WASH facilities, eco-friendly product options, and continuous menstrual health education.
As the PHEG prepares to roll out nationwide, GAYO hopes it will spark broader conversations and lead to bigger, systemic change.
“Let this guide reach every home, every community, every youth and youth group. Because no girl should walk alone in her period,” Benedict concluded.
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1 MHz | David Azure, Bolgatanga
