Over 30,000 secondary schoolgirls to benefit from sanitary pads as distribution commences

The distribution of sanitary pads through the First Lady’s Menstrual Hygiene Initiative has begun in secondary schools in several regions across Guyana which will see more than 30,000 girls benefiting.
The Regional Education Department in Regions One, Five, Six, and 10 were provided with one year’s supply of sanitary pads for each secondary school-aged girl.

The pads have been supplied to every secondary school in those regions, and distribution has commenced. The schools have prepared a register that each student will be required to sign upon collection of the pads.
This is being done to strengthen the accounting procedures involved in the distribution and to ensure that every girl child in need benefits from this programme.
Over the next few months, the remaining regions – Two, Three, Four, Seven, Eight, and Nine – will receive their allocation and begin providing the pads to the schools for distribution.
“Investing in interventions to empower girls to manage their menstruation safely, hygienically, with confidence and without stigma, so that they continue to attend and perform well in school once they start puberty isn’t just the morally right thing to do, it also makes economic sense. Investing in good menstrual hygiene management to enable women and girls to reach their full potential is a critical measure to build a nation’s human capital over time,” First Lady Arya Ali noted.
The First Lady explained that when her office launched this project last year, it was with faith, hope, optimism, and zero dollars.
“I made the announcement about the Menstrual Hygiene Initiative and we waited patiently and hoped for support from our partners,” she said, adding that the support so far has been overwhelming.
“I am most pleased, and proud, that we are able to provide one year’s supply of sanitary pads to every secondary school-aged girl in this country at no cost to them. Of course, this will continue every year after this one,” she noted.
Having achieved this, Ali posited that her attention would now shift to providing coverage for women. With limited funding, she underscored the need for donations and fundraisers which allow her office to expand coverage for women.
Just recently, the Office of the First Lady, in partnership with Dilmah Tea, hosted one such fundraiser – Chari-Tea – a tea party and fashion show, at State House.
“Fundraisers like these are, therefore, very important to this aspect of the project, because the funding received from the Government only provides partial coverage for our girls. Therefore, we rely heavily on these fundraising events and donations to compensate for that shortfall,” she shared.
The Government of Guyana has provided $50 million in its 2022 Budget towards this programme.