Period poverty is a lack of access to menstrual products, hygiene, education, hygiene facilities, or a combination of these. It is the struggle girls and women or anyone who menstruates goes through while trying to afford menstrual products.
At Boa Daakye Foundation, we believe that it is inappropriate for girls to be denied access to menstrual products, safe, hygienic spaces in which to use them, and the right to manage menstruation without shame or stigma.
This is because period poverty does not only affect the health of girls but has the tendency of derailing their lives in many spheres including education.
Many girls, especially those in rural areas, do not have access to these essentials. And almost every day, they have to choose between buying food or menstrual products.
According to the World Bank, at least a whooping 500 women and girls globally lack access to the facilities they need to manage their period. Reports from UNESCO also indicate that one in 10 girls in Sub-Saharan Africa misses school during their period. Inferably, girls are most likely to fall behind in academics considering the parties surrounding this issue.
For us, menstruation shouldn’t be the reason why girls will have challenges accessing education. Girls, just like boys should not miss school because of menstrual products; and one of the surest ways to address this is teaching girls how to leverage a more hygienic and eco-friendly alternative-using re-usable towels.
