Girls attending school can now feel more confident about their menstrual cycle with the launching of a Menstrual Hygiene Initiative by First Lady Arya Ali yesterday at the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School (ARMS) in Region Two.
Speaking at the launch, the First Lady said that every school-aged girl in Guyana will benefit, and disclosed that in the coming days, she and Minister of Education Priya Manickchand will be travelling to other regions to personally deliver sanitary products and to speak to girls about their menstrual health.
“This initiative was made possible through approved fundraisers hosted by my office last year when I heard that girls were forced to drop out of schools in Guyana because they did not have sanitary pads to use because [of] experiencing their period, it broke my heart,” Mrs Ali said.
She said that globally millions of girls continue to miss school due to their monthly cycle. However, with the initiative, she is hoping that from now on no girl misses school.
“You girls are our future nurses and doctors, policemen, lawyers and teachers. You are the future leaders, and at no point in your life should you be forced to choose between having an education and staying home because you do not have access to sanitary products”, Ali declared.
She noted that menstruation is a natural biological occurrence and a change that all females go through which they have no control of. She urged women not to be shy about their cycle and that they should not be stigmatised about their periods. The First Lady called on parents, guardians, and teachers to start the conversation and not to shy away from the topic.
Meanwhile, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand informed that the initiative was fully funded by the Office of the First Lady and not by the Ministry of Education. During her remarks, she noted that in Guyana, many females cannot afford to purchase sanitary pads and that this initiative will ensure that every girl has sanitary products. Referring to statistics, the minister said that 26 per cent of students in Guyana cannot afford to purchase sanitary products and often females are forced to use their pads longer than required. She also urged females not to be shy about their menstrual cycle and to be open to discussing the topic. She added that the Office of the First Lady’s Menstrual Hygiene Initiative is geared at ensuring that girls do not miss school due to their monthly cycle.
Manickchand thanked the First Lady for spearheading the initiative and said that the Ministry of Education is grateful for the assistance.
Regional Chairperson Vilma De Silva said that she was happy that Region Two was chosen for the launch of the initiative and agreed that it is time that females recognise that “periods” are not something to be ashamed of. She also used the opportunity to laud the efforts of the Office of the First Lady for such an initiative stating that for years it was an unresolved issue that no women’s group ever tried to rectify. De Silva urged the girls to make use of the sanitary products provided to them by the Office of the First Lady. Also supporting the initiative was Regional Education Officer Nicola Matthews, and Headmaster of ARMS, Lalljeet Rooplall.
