By Leonard Kamugisha Akida
MUKONO
More than 100 girls at St Beatrice Primary School in Buwava, Mukono district, have received sanitary towels following an outreach by the Miss Citizen Pageant Foundation.
The foundation, which organises the Miss Citizen International beauty pageant, visited the school on Friday as part of an initiative aimed at promoting menstrual hygiene and supporting pupils’ mental wellbeing.
During the visit, the girls received sanitary towels and participated in sessions on mental health.
Caroline Akol, the founder of the foundation, said some girls told them they were unable to access sanitary products when menstruating.
“Many of the girls said they fear telling their parents about their menstrual periods and instead open up to teachers. Others said they abscond from classes and stay at home because they lack sanitary pads,” Akol said.
She attributed the problem to financial difficulties faced by many households.
Akol said St Beatrice Buwava Primary School, like many rural schools, has limited access to shops where girls can buy sanitary products.
She said the foundation plans to return to the school next term to teach pupils how to make reusable sanitary pads and provide the necessary materials.
“Next term, we are going to go back to the same school and teach them how to make reusable pads. We shall buy the required materials,” she said.
Akol urged parents to take an active role in educating their daughters about menstrual hygiene rather than leaving the responsibility entirely to teachers.
“Parents with girl children need to engage them in menstrual hygiene. This should not be left to teachers alone,” she said.
The school headteacher, Naigaga Mary Gorretti, commended the foundation for supporting the school, saying the donation would help improve menstrual hygiene among female learners.
“I thank the Miss Citizen Pageant Foundation for considering our school. We are blessed to have you with us,” she said.
Johnson Evangeline Akol, the reigning Miss Citizen International, said the outreach was intended to encourage positive behaviour among the pupils.
“I believe you are going to see a change in how the girls behave. I have also advised them to reach out to teachers in case of anything,” she said.
Evangeline also cautioned pupils, both girls and boys, against accepting gifts from strangers.
“Not everyone is your friend. Your teachers and parents are your friends. Do not allow someone you do not know to start giving you money. There are no free gifts,” she said.
She urged pupils to immediately seek help from trusted adults if a stranger attempted to lure them with money, food or other gifts.
Akol said access to menstrual products and accurate information was important in keeping girls in school, reducing stigma and protecting their mental wellbeing.
She said the foundation would also conduct community sensitisation programmes aimed at addressing stigma surrounding menstruation.
The initiative comes amid concerns about menstrual poverty in Uganda, which can affect girls’ school attendance, particularly in low-income and rural communities.
In Uganda, millions of school-aged girls miss up to 18% of the school year due to lack of resources which experts say results into to high dropout rates, increased vulnerability to child marriage, and severe health risks
“Up to 5 million school girls lack reliable access to safe sanitary products and hygiene management facilities. At least 23% of Ugandan girls aged 12 to 18 drop out of school entirely once they begin menstruating.”
High costs of menstrual products, limited access to clean water and private changing facilities, inadequate disposal systems and social taboos can make it difficult for girls to manage their periods safely at school.
Some girls resort to improvised materials when commercial sanitary products are unavailable, while fear of staining school uniforms and embarrassment can contribute to absenteeism.
Akol said supporting menstrual health should be treated as an investment in girls’ education and wellbeing.
She also urged members of the public to support initiatives that improve access to menstrual hygiene products and information for schoolchildren.
