200 Girls in Rural Ghana Get Reusable Menstrual Pads

Missing school because of your period shouldn't be a reality for any girl, but in rural Ghana, limited access to menstrual products has kept too many students home when they should be learning.

The Period Essential Project just changed that reality for approximately 200 female students at two schools in Ghana's Ashanti Region. RYTHM Foundation, the charitable arm of wellness company QNET, partnered with Accra-based KAT Foundation to distribute reusable sanitary pads to girls at Aframso M/A Junior High School and Ejura M/A Experimental Junior High School.

The reusable pads solve multiple problems at once. They give girls a reliable way to manage their menstrual health safely, they cost less over time than disposable products, and they're better for the environment.

"Menstrual health is closely connected to education, dignity, and opportunity," said Shreevidya Anandan, Head of RYTHM Foundation. "No girl should have her confidence, wellbeing or future limited by a lack of access to essential menstrual products."

The initiative launched around Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed globally on May 28 to raise awareness about how menstruation affects education access. For many girls in underserved communities, not having sanitary products means staying home from school, falling behind in lessons, and losing confidence.

The Ripple Effect

When girls can manage their periods with dignity, they don't just stay in school during their menstrual cycle. They participate more fully in class, sports, and social activities. Their attendance improves, which means better grades and more opportunities down the road.

Mrs. Millicent Duffuor, General Manager of KAT Foundation, emphasized the broader impact. "Menstrual health should never be a reason for girls to miss school, lose confidence or feel excluded from everyday opportunities," she said.

KAT Foundation works throughout Ghana on child welfare and community health programs, focusing on practical interventions that create lasting change. Their partnership with RYTHM Foundation brings that community-centered approach together with resources to reach more students.

The two hundred girls who received pads now have one less barrier standing between them and their education, and that opens up a world of possibilities.