Accra: Ms. Celestine Adzah, CEO of the Celestine Foundation, has called for sustained stakeholder collaboration to end menstrual stigma and advance menstrual health education in schools across Ghana.
According to Ghana News Agency, Ms. Adzah emphasized that the battle against menstrual stigma cannot be won by any single organization. She appealed to government agencies, school authorities, traditional leaders, healthcare professionals, and civil society to work together to protect the dignity, health, and education of adolescent girls.
'Menstrual health is a shared responsibility. It affects not only our girls but the future of our communities. We need collective commitment to end the shame and silence surrounding menstruation in our schools,' she stated.
Ms. Adzah announced that the Celestine Foundation has launched a menstrual health campaign focused on hygiene, education, and accessibility for schoolgirls, particularly in rural and underserved areas. The campaign includes the distribution of sanitary pads, community sensitization, and the integration of menstrual health literacy into basic school curricula. She highlighted that stigma and lack of resources lead to absenteeism and discrimination, especially among rural girls, and stressed the need for inclusive and strategic interventions.
'Our goal is to ensure no girl misses school or feels inferior because of a natural biological process. But we can't do it alone. It takes support from parents, teachers, religious leaders, and institutions to make real, lasting change,' she added.
Ms. Adzah also urged education officers, assembly members, and parent-teacher associations to support the Foundation's initiative and partner in efforts to empower girls and challenge cultural taboos around menstruation. She revealed that the campaign would be rolled out in phases, starting with selected schools and gradually expanding nationwide through a network of community-based partnerships.
As part of its broader mission to improve adolescent health and education, the Celestine Foundation recently carried out a menstrual health intervention in the South Tongu Municipality. The intervention involved the donation of sanitary pads to 245 female students from three basic schools-Real Vision Academy, Evangelical Christian Academy, and Sokpoe D/A Basic School-selected through community engagement and socio-economic assessments.
School authorities and local leaders have praised the donation as timely and impactful, noting that it aligns with both national priorities and global goals related to health, education, and gender equality.