Kalaki District Woman Member of Parliament Jenifer Ayo Nalukwago has embarked on sanitary pads distribution in primary schools across the district to improve on menstrual hygiene.
The absence of free sanitary products in Ugandan schools is currently a major barrier to girl child education . According to Volunteer Action Network, an NGO operating in Gulu, one out of five African school girls skip school or drop out of school entirely due to lack of menstrual products.
In a bid to resolve this, MP Nalukwago on Tuesday commenced distribution of free sanitary pads to primary schools in the district. A total of 1,107 packs of sanitary pads were distributed to three primary schools of Otuboi Township Primary School, Amukurat Primary School, and Opiltok Primary with each school girl receiving one pack.
Speaking to LBS Newsday, the MP says this was done to help parents given the skyrocketing prices of other essential commodities.
George Stephen Okello, the Headteacher of Otuboi Township Primary thanked Ayo for the donation. “We are grateful to the MP in this journey of transforming the lives of our young girls through donating these pads. This will keep more young girls empowered with dignity while at school”.
Sarah Adeyo a candidate at Amukurat P/S in Otuboi primary school said the donation will help them settle at school without having to fear when they are in their periods. “It’s our privilege to say as girls we are now comfortable, you saved us of the monthly shame, we used to shy away but now we are courageous to settle at school’’, says Adeyo.
Recently, the Ministry of Education and Sports revealed that it’s working on a National Menstrual Hygiene Plan to regulate the price and quality of sanitary pads.
According to Rosette Nanyanzi, the Gender Technical Adviser at the Ministry, the plan will also look at how the government can provide sanitary pads to girls in schools. At the moment, the Education Ministry in a pilot study is providing sanitary pads to 40 districts benefiting 25 schools in each area. Some of the benefiting districts include Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Buliisa, Otuke, Hoima, Namayingo, Mayuge, Aleptong and Nakasongola.
Currently, the price of disposable sanitary towels ranges between 3,500 and 7,000 shillings.
