Ghana Queen Mother Gives Pads to Hundreds of Schoolgirls

When Nana Adjoa Amowah II handed out sanitary pads to schoolgirls in rural Ghana this week, she wasn't just solving a supply problem. She was dismantling generations of shame.

The Queen Mother of Srafa-Aboano organized the community outreach on World Menstrual Hygiene Day, bringing together hundreds of junior high school girls from her district in Ghana's Central Region. Each girl received free sanitary pads and exercise books, items many families struggle to afford monthly.

But the real gift came in the form of open conversation. Nursing officer Stella Opoku from the Ekumfi District Health Directorate taught the girls how to use sanitary products safely, manage discomfort, and maintain hygiene during their periods.

"Today's session was not just about giving out pads," Nana Adjoa Amowah II explained. "It was about giving our daughters knowledge, dignity, and the assurance that menstruation is normal and manageable."

The choice to host the event in Srafa-Aboano was intentional. Many rural families lack access to reliable reproductive health information, and the silence around menstruation forces some girls to use unsafe materials or skip school entirely during their periods.

Parents who attended said the program filled a critical gap. The community turned out in large numbers to support what residents called a much-needed initiative.

The Ripple Effect

By holding the program at the community level, Nana Adjoa Amowah II is creating space for boys, parents, and teachers to join the conversation. When menstruation stops being taboo, girls stop being held back by something completely natural.

The queen mother partnered with the Ekumfi Queen Mothers Association and local health officials to ensure the education was both practical and culturally sensitive. She's committed to making these outreach programs a regular occurrence, not a one-time event.

World Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed globally on May 28, highlights the social and economic barriers girls face because of their periods. In communities where a box of pads might cost more than a family can spare, missing school becomes the default choice.

Nana Adjoa Amowah II is proving that traditional leadership can drive modern change, and that the path to gender equality sometimes starts with something as simple as pad distribution and honest conversation.