ASA Savings and Loans gifts 500 girls sanitary pads

ASA Savings and Loans Company Limited has donated 1,166 sanitary pads to more than 500 adolescent girls in five schools within the Awutu Senya East Municipality in the Central Region of Ghana.

In collaboration with the Awutu Senya East Municipal Education Directorate, ASA Savings and Loans Company Limited presented the pads to the girls to commemorate Menstrual Hygiene Day under the theme: “My menstruation, my education, my generation”.

The beneficiary schools included St. Mary's Anglican Primary and Junior High School A to D and Icodehs Islamic Basic School, all in Kasoa. The donation formed part of ASA's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives designed to give back to the community and support vulnerable groups.

During the celebration, the Human Resource Manager for ASA, Eunice Boadu, emphasised that the company was committed to supporting women and girls, stating that nearly 99 per cent of their clients were women, particularly “those whom universal banks would not encourage to take loans”.

The Municipal Director of Education for Awutu Senya East, Faustina Alimatu Briamah, noted that menstrual hygiene was a significant barrier to girls' school attendance. She pointed out that many girls were unable to attend school during their menstrual periods, which adversely affected their academic performance.

Menstrual education

She explained that not everyone is fortunate enough to have someone guide them through their first menstrual experience.  According to her, this education would give girls the necessary knowledge, helping to alleviate confusion and misconceptions about menstruation.

A public health nurse in the Akweley sub-district of the Awutu Senya East Municipality, Augustina Adiaba, educated the adolescents on menstrual hygiene. She expressed the importance of maintaining good hygiene during menstruation, saying: "It is important to bathe at least twice a day when menstruating."

Additionally, she provided practical advice on properly disposing of used sanitary pads to prevent environmental pollution and health hazards.