First Lady raises $6M to start fight against period poverty

The Menstrual Hygiene Campaign of the First Lady, Arya Ali, is off to a bright start after she rose $6 million from her first charity event on Sunday, which was hosted at State House.
In January of this year, the First Lady had announced the launch of the campaign which she has created in efforts to put an end to period poverty in Guyana.
In a statement from the Office of the First Lady, it was stated that because of the magnitude of such an undertaking, the First Lady has decided that the project will be rolled out in phases, beginning with the provision of sanitary pads to the most vulnerable.

As such, school-aged girls within the hinterland regions of Guyana are slated to be the first recipients.
She noted that she is aware of the challenges and consequences faced by young girls who are unable to acquire sanitary napkins at the necessary times.
“The gravity of this problem was highlighted in a casual conversation I had with a stranger, who pointed out that girls were forced to skip school routinely, and in some instances drop out permanently because they could not afford sanitary products. This is unacceptable. No girl should be placed in a situation in which she is forced to absent from or quit school because of her inability to afford sanitary products,” the First Lady told the donors at a tea party fundraising event on Sunday.
She further added that period poverty deprives girls of the very education which they need to grasp economic and other opportunities, while highlighting that it can result in harmful psychological effects such as impaired cognitive skills and social isolation.
Further, the First Lady noted that in order to bring an end to period poverty, there must be an acceptance of the existence of the problem after which conversations around women’s health must be normalised, even in spaces occupied only by men.
“We must also disabuse ourselves of the idea that menstruation is exclusively a female concern. It is not. It is a concern for all because when girls are deprived of education and economic opportunities as a result of period poverty, it is the entire society which is affected, not just women,” she added.

Moreover, the First Lady explained that society at large is responsible for ensuring that every female benefit from safe and hygienic menstrual products and the dignity that this affords.
As such, the First Lady commended all those who contributed financially and challenged them to also raise their voices to end the stigma associated with menstruation.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Priya Manickchand, who will be working along with the First Lady to enable the distribution of the sanitary napkins within schools, applauded and expressed deep gratitude to the First Lady for beginning what she hopes will be a national conversation with effective solutions.
Manickchand further added that the Education Ministry will begin research to determine the impact of periods and period poverty on education.
“The Ministry will continue to support efforts which are aimed at ending period poverty and ensuring our girls and women have equal access to educational and other opportunities,” the Minister said.
The fundraising event was sponsored by a number of local businesses.