The Headmistress of Patasie D/A Junior High School in the Jacobu District of the Ashanti Region, Esther Nyame, has expressed concern over the rising incidence of teenage pregnancy in the community, attributing the situation partly to the inability of many schoolgirls to afford sanitary pads.

According to her, many female students depend on men to provide sanitary pads during their menstrual periods, exposing them to exploitation and increasing their vulnerability to teenage pregnancy.

She disclosed that some girls also absent themselves from school during menstruation because they cannot afford sanitary products, a situation she said is negatively affecting girls’ education in the rural community.

Esther Nyame made the remarks in an interview with Adom News reporter Kwadwo Obeng Mireku after CBG donated about 700 sanitary pads to the school to support menstrual hygiene among female students.

“The lack of sanitary pads is affecting girls’ education in this community because it is a rural area. Many parents cannot afford to buy sanitary pads for their daughters. As a result, some girls use pieces of cloth, while others rely on men to provide them with sanitary pads.

“We are grateful to CBG for this support and appeal for more assistance. We also urge the government to establish sanitary pad banks in rural schools to ensure girls stay in school during their menstrual periods,” she said.

Managing Director of CBG, Naomi Quartey, said the company has distributed approximately 3,000 sanitary pads to three rural basic schools in the Ashanti Region as part of efforts to promote menstrual hygiene and improve girls’ education.

The beneficiary schools are Sepase M/A JHS in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District, Patasie D/A JHS in the Jacobu District, and Donaso M/A JHS in the Ejisu Municipality.

The initiative forms part of the company’s corporate social responsibility programme and supports the Vice President’s agenda of improving menstrual hygiene and keeping more girls in school.

“This is a new initiative we have introduced to support the Vice President’s vision of promoting menstrual hygiene and enhancing girls’ education, particularly in rural communities. We intend to expand this initiative across the country because it is a long-term commitment and an important part of our corporate social responsibility,” she stated.

The beneficiary schools appreciated CBG for the donation and appealed to the company and other corporate organisations to extend similar support to more rural schools.