Present at the sensitization workshop were some church members as well as the District Executives
The Women’s Ministry of the Church of Pentecost, James McKeown Worship Centre (JMWC), Korle-Gonno under the Dansoman Area, in collaboration with the Pentecost Social Services (PENTSOS) and Schools Outreach Ministry (SOM) of the district, have organized a sensitization workshop on “Menstruation and Menstrual Hygiene and its Impact on Girl Child Empowerment” for the students of the St. Mary’s JHS, Korle-Gonno.
The workshop was part of activities by the Church to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child and was held at the premises of the St. Mary’s JHS, Korle-Gonno on Monday, 11th October 2021. The workshop, led by the District Women’s Ministry Leader, Deaconess (Mrs) Evelyn Basingnaa, saw about seven hundred (700) students of the school, from Primary 4 to JHS 3 participating to make it a huge success.
According to the Resident Minister of the Church, Rev. (Dr.) Perez Sepenu, an Obstetrician Gynaecologist, and his wife, Dr. (Mrs) Naa Akushia Sepenu, who is also a Resident Otorhinolaryngologist, both of whom are at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, one of the major natural occurrences in every girl’s life, which in many ways also poses a cyclical challenge to them especially in Ghana, is menstruation and menstrual hygiene. They both revealed that, lack of menstrual knowledge, poor access to sanitary products and a non-facilitating school environment makes it difficult for girls to attend school during the few days they are menstruating, with most of these girls resorting to skipping school during those periods in the month.
They further revealed that the Church has decided to use this year’s day to empower the girl’s student population of the St. Mary’s JHS, Korle-Gonno with the requisite knowledge on menstruation and menstrual hygiene, in line with the Church’s Vision 2023 Document of “Possessing the Nations” as shared by the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye and his Executive Committee and reiterated by the Dansoman Area Head, Prophet Ebenezer Appiah.
Elder (Dr.) Stephen Kpatsi and his team of health personnel from the James McKeown Worship Centre (JMWC) took participants through the proper use of sanitary pad, advised them to wash their hands with soap and running water before putting on their sanitary pads and ensure proper use of the sanitary pads to prevent leakages.
The Headmistress of the school, Mrs Patience Addy, commended the Church of Pentecost, JMWC for the kind gesture and indicated that the knowledge acquired from the workshop will go a long way to boost the confidence of the students to participate in school activities during menstruation and also reduce student absenteeism amongst female students during their menstrual period.
Present at the sensitization workshop were some church members as well as the District Executives of the Church, including the District Secretary, Elder Cephas Agbozo.
Donations of more than 700 sanitary pads were made to each female student from Primary 4 to JHS 3, whilst all the students of Primary 1 to 3 received snacks to mark the day.