Red Cross promotes menstrual hygiene

Malawi Red Cross Society district coordinator Charles Nyirenda says no girl should fail to attend classes because they lack resources during their menstruation.

He said this yesterday during the commemoration of this year’s Menstruation Hygiene Management Day at Kaphirikamodzi Primary School in Senior Chief Kanduku in Mwanza.

Nyirenda said in partnership with Mwanza District Council, they are promoting menstrual hygiene among girls in the district.

“We are constructing toilets, which comprise change rooms in primary schools in the district to promote girls’ education,” he said.

Mwanza District Council director of administration Victoria Wane, who was the guest of honour, urged parents and guardians to provide basic resources such as sanitary pads to girls during their menses. 

She said lack of sanitary pads and change rooms in schools are some of the factors that force girls to drop out.

“We commend Malawi Red Cross Society for constructing toilets with change rooms as they motivate girls to go school,” said Wane.

Kaphirikamodzi Primary Schoolhead girl Esther Dondathanked Malawi Red Cross Society for constructing the change rooms.

“Previously, we had no structure for changing pads as such we used to abscond classes,” she said.

Donda encouraged other girls who dropped out due to lack of sanitary pads to return to school, saying at times, some organisations support them with reusable pads.

This year’s Menstruation Hygiene Management Day was commemorated under the theme ‘Making Menstruation a Fact of Life by 2030’.

The day is observed on May 28 every year but Mwanza District commemorated it yesterday.