WIsa- Malawi donates sanitary pads to primary school learners

The Blantyre District Education Division has hailed Women and Law in Southern Africa Research and Education Trust (WLSA)-Malawi for donating 1000 disposable sanitary pads to adolescent girls at Mayera Primary School in Blantyre.

Speaking during the donation on Thursday in Chileka, school health and nutritionist for Blantyre urban Marjory Banda said the donation will help keep more girls in school by making sure that they remain healthy and confident during their menstruation period.

She said this year alone, 30 adolescent girls have dropped out of school at Mayera Primary due to sanitary challenges.

“It is sad that most girls lie to their parents that they are sick and refuse to go to school when they are in their menses for fear of spoiling their clothes and attract ridicule from their fellow learners. This leads to poor performance and eventually they drop out of school due to repetitions,” said Banda.

The girls together with the mother group at the school were also trained on how to make reusable sanitary pads using locally available resources.

Speaking after making the donation, Wlsa-Malawi programme officer Clara Lungu said her organisation is committed to empowering women and girls in the country.

She called on parents to send more girls to school so that they get educated and be able to fight for their rights.

The women also gave a talk to learners on gender-related laws, how to protect themselves and report gender- based violence.

The donation according to Lungu, was part of 16 days of activism commemorations which started on November 25 and ended on December 10.