Torch Lights Tours, a Cape Coast based tour operating Company has distributed more than 1,300 free sanitary pads worth GH¢30,000 to girls in some selected deprived schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis and the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) District.

The beneficiary schools are A.M.E Zion basic school at Brafoyaw, Ekon A, and B Primary and Junior High School (JHS) at Ekon and D/A Methodist all in Cape Coast and St. John's and Catholic basic schools at Moree in AAK.

Explaining the rationale behind the intervention, the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Michael Orleans expressed shock about some crude and unhygienic methods employed by some young girls in taking care of themselves during menstruation.

"We watched a documentary about menstrual hygiene and we were shocked to know what some of our young girls used as sanitary pads and problems they go through to buy pad, so we quickly linked up with some partners and together donated the items to the girls," he explained.

Mr. Orleans added that the donation formed part of the Company’s corporate social responsibility towards ensuring that young girls from deprived communities and homes practiced the best of menstrual hygiene to safeguard their reproductive health.

The goal, according to him was to reach out to over 1,500 young girls with three months’ supply of the pad.

He was appalled that most of the schools visited did not have toilet facilities and other support mechanisms for young girls to change their sanitary towels.

Therefore, many girls rather chose to stay at home until they had finished menstruation to avoid the embarrassment of soiling themselves in school and this affected their education and made some of them even drop out of school.

In this regard, he pledged the Company's commitment to supporting and empowering young girls to take their education seriously and remain in school even during menstruation.

The girls were also taught how to use the pads and dispose of them properly and were also encouraged to take their academics seriously to enable them become responsible adults.

Presenting the items in separate donations, all the school heads expressed gratitude to the company for the Company’s benevolence.

Mr. Emmanuel Sekyi, Head teacher of St. John's school described the gesture as a big relief since many girls often stayed out of school because they could not afford sanitary pads and noted that the intervention was timely to reverse the increasing trend of absenteeism.