The Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) has established a Menstrual Sanitary Pad Bank in Navrongo to mark International Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28, 2026.
The initiative aims to break the silence around menstruation and ensure that girls and women have access to hygienic reusable sanitary products.
Observed globally on May 28, Menstrual Hygiene Day promotes good menstrual health and hygiene while challenging stigma surrounding menstruation.
Speaking at the launch, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at GAYO, Amos Ansah, said the organisation is addressing menstrual dignity as both a health and mental health issue.
“We believe that the dignity of our women is very important, and we should treat it not just as a health issue, but a mental health issue. What we’ve observed over the years is that most people treat our ladies, especially when they are in their cycle, as not regarded,” Mr. Ansah said.
He said GAYO partnered with the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Navrongo, the Ghana Education Service, the Ghana Meteorological Service, and other organisations to launch the Pad Bank.
Unlike single-use pads, the bank will be stocked with reusable sanitary pads to provide long-term support.
“This particular initiative will stay for long, to go all the way to help our females to recognise that they have a right to protection,” he added.
As part of the activities, GAYO also held a conference under the theme “Period Dignity, True Climate Resilience Action”. The event brought together stakeholders from health, education, traditional leadership, and STEM education for discussions on menstrual health.
Community Engagement Officer for GAYO under the Adaptation and Resilience Project, Khadija Azumah Braimah, said the conference capped a month of activities including community dialogues, school sensitisation, radio programmes, and online seminars.
Panelists included representatives from the Ghana Health Service in the Upper East Region, the Ghana Education Service in the Upper East Region, the secretary to the Paramount Chief of Navrongo, the Dean of Students of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, and Women in STEM Education.
Mrs. Braimah said the Ghana Education Service announced a new policy requiring all newly constructed schools to include period-friendly, gender-inclusive washrooms. She cited examples of schools already equipped with mechanised bathrooms and improved facilities for girls.
She, however, noted concerns about the lack of basic sanitation facilities in many schools where GAYO conducts menstrual hygiene education.
“Most of the schools that Green Africa Youth Organization leads menstrual hygiene education in do not have washrooms. Even washrooms where they could freely attend to themselves, not to talk of gender-friendly washrooms,” she said.
The conference also highlighted the role of boys and men in supporting girls during menstruation and reducing stigma in schools.
The Pad Bank launch and conference were praised by students, teachers, community members, and traditional leaders as a practical step toward protecting the dignity of girls, reducing absenteeism, and linking menstrual health to broader climate resilience efforts.
A1 Radio | 101.1 MHz | David Azure | Navrongo
