National
Girlsa initiative pads up MUBAS students
As a way of promoting menstrual hygiene among female students in the country, Girlsa Initiative on February 23, 2023, distributed free sanitary pads to over 300 female students at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences ( MUBAS).
Speaking in an interview, one of the initiative’s founders who is also MUBAS student representative Council President Wyson Vinthenga said they did this after noticing that many female students do not afford to buy sanitary pads due to financial problems and hence miss classes during their menstrual period.
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Said Vinthenga: “We noticed that sometimes many female students are missing classes as they are in their menstrual period. That is why we thought it wise to freely distribute these sanitary pads to them so that they cannot miss classes during this period.”
Vinthenga said the initiative also distributed over 400 sanitary pads last year at the university and that their future plan is to reach out to as many students as possible in tertiary, secondary, and primary schools.
”We have started this here at MUBAS and we will extend to secondary and primary schools when enough funding is available,” he said.
He then called on the government and well-wishers to consider and play their much-needed role in relieving female menstrual problems by distributing sanitary pads to needy and deserving female students so as one way of encouraging them to remain in school and increase their performances.
One of the beneficiaries Sonia Kachale thanked the Girlsa initiative for the timely intervention towards their menstrual challenges.
“Honestly speaking this is a very great move for us girls. Most of us do not t have anybody financing our school resources, so once the loan money is finished, finances become critical.
“Sanitary is a basic need that is not talked about publicly but a very crucial thing that every female needs every month and receiving a free sanitary is a life-saving solution for a female student,” Vanessa.
Girlsa Initiative, spearheaded by three fifth-year physical planning students, aims to reach out to female needy students and relieve them of menstrual problems.
They have started at MUBAS and plan to extend to secondary and primary schools when enough funding is available.
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