Activists led by Makerere Univesirty nude professor Dr. Stella Nyanzi have launched a pilot study that will inform the basis for distribution of free pads to Ugandan girls to keep them schools.
They piloted the study at Lakes High School Kalinga in Buwinga Sub County in Masaka district on Monday, a school that was started by Nyanzi’s late father.
Activists also distributed free re-usable pads to at least 160 girls at the school. The campaign is part of the national master plan to provide free pads to girls to keep them in school as the activists pile pressure on Government to fulfill its pledge to give girls free pads.
During his 2016 re-election campaign, President Yoweri Museveni promised to provide free pads to girls so as to keep them in school. His pledge followed several reports showing that many girls were dropping out of school due to lack of pads to maintain hygiene during their monthly menstrual cycle.
According to the report, most of the girls drop off for fear of losing their dignity and the embarrassment they go through because of the menstruation. But last month, Education and Sports Minister, Janet Kataha Museveni told Parliament that there is no money to provide the free pads.
This angered activists led by Dr. Stella Nyanzi to blast government for failure to find money for these pads. As a result, Dr. Nyanzi started an online campaign to mobilize resources from well- towards this cause. It is as a result of this that Dr. Nyanzi led a group of activists to Lakes High School on Monday where they conducted peer hygiene training for girls.
They also signed a consent agreement with the school and students before giving them free pads. Dr. Nyanzi told the students that they need to get their consent for legal purposes. She also explained that they were registering details of all the girls benefiting from the free pads because they are using it as a pilot study.
During the training, girls gave testimonies about their first menstrual cycle experience and how they reacted. Dr. Nyanzi explained that they got money from well-wishers vial mobile money and contacted Eco-pads and Afri pads distributors who sold them a million pads at a subsidized fee
According to Dr. Nyanzi the failure by government to provide free sanitary pads to girls contravenes Maputo protocol to which Uganda is a signatory.
Many of the girls at Lakes High School especially those in senior one, said they experienced their first menstrual cycle this year, and said they didn't know how to react to this strange occurrence since they didn't know what it meant.
