Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Reach A Hand Uganda has initiated a fundraising drive to procure 20,000 pads for girls in the Busoga region.
The drive was triggered by the fact that menstruation is an entry point for most of the sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) issues faced by young girls.
It also links to feedback received from several projects being undertaken by the organisation across the country, including the Undo the Taboo Campaign, the Imara Girls Festival, the Intergenerational Dialogue, I Know Kati, and others. Reach A Hand Uganda is a youth-led non-profit organisation focused on youth empowerment programs with an emphasis on Behaviour Change Communication (BCC), Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and, HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.
While unveiling the drive, Humphrey Nabimanya – the founder of Reach A Hand Uganda – said, “We must come together and recognise the realities of menstrual health hygiene among young girls and women in Uganda. This drive is aimed at contributing to the creation of a more robust supportive environment for young women regarding menstrual health and hygiene.”
He made the remarks during the official premiere for ‘Sabotage’ – a drama produced by Reach a Hand Uganda, directed by Mathew Nabwiso and starring Stella Natumbwe, Sharifa Ali and Jjemba Dean Austin at Century Cinemax Acacia Mall on Feb.15.
The film is set around a traditional wedding (‘kwanjula’) which explores the themes of sexual violence, unsafe abortion, and tradition to raise awareness around Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) in Uganda.
During the premiere, approximately Shs5million was raised from the guests in attendance and the campaign is set to run up to March 8th (Women’s Day).
On the 8th of February, 2024, the Daily Monitor reported that a section of girls in the Busoga sub-region is moulding sanitary pads using soil due to limited access to safe menstrual health hygiene products.
According to World Vision International, insufficient Menstrual Hygiene Management in Ugandan schools contributes to a dropout rate of up to 10% of girls at the primary level.
Additionally, a Ministry of Education and Sports report on the implementation of menstrual health management in Uganda indicated that about 23% of Ugandan girls aged 12-18 drop out of school when they begin menstruation – which is partially due to the stigma developed as a result of failing to keep themselves clean.
