Reducing period poverty in Ghana through health education and reusable menstrual kits
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- Relevant Data
- Region 🇬🇠Ghana
- Sector Education
- Kits distributed 500
This project, in collaboration with the AKAYA Foundation, distributes reusable sanitary pad kits—alongside health education workshops—to girls in Ghana, helping them remain in education.
Why is this work necessary?
In economically challenged regions of Ghana, many girls cannot afford essential menstrual hygiene products. The high cost—exacerbated by taxes—forces them to miss school during their periods, disrupting their education and exposing them to health risks and social stigma.
Additionally, a widespread lack of menstrual health information and societal pressures further compound these challenges. Without proper support, girls face reduced academic performance, lower self-esteem, and limited future opportunities—fueling cycles of poverty and gender inequality.
The solution
Reusable menstrual kits are distributed to girls through a network of schools, paired with empowerment workshops covering menstrual health, sexual rights, and confidence-building.
Each kit helps ensure uninterrupted school attendance and includes sustainable products that can be used for extended periods. The project also trains local educators and engages with communities to establish a supportive, long-term ecosystem around girls’ health and education.
Who is the AKAYA Foundation?
The AKAYA Foundation is a Ghanaian nonprofit focused on improving the lives of women and girls through education, health advocacy, and empowerment programs. By addressing systemic barriers like period poverty, they help foster resilience, self-confidence, and sustainable progress within local communities.
AKAYA also builds capacity by training local facilitators, ensuring that knowledge and impact remain rooted in the communities they serve.
Impact and outcomes
This project reduces period poverty, improves health knowledge, and promotes consistent school attendance among girls in Ghana.
Through educational sessions and sustainable menstrual kits, girls gain the tools and confidence to stay in school, while the broader community benefits from increased awareness and reduced stigma around menstruation.
The initiative also lays the foundation for future expansion and replication in other parts of the country.
Updates
From the field
Concluded the first school in Adansi South
Posted 30 Oct 2024
We've concluded our visit to the first school in Adansi South this morning. 100 girls received their menstrual kits as part of our ongoing distribution project. We're now moving on to the second school for the day to continue our efforts.
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300 girls receive menstrual kits in Adansi South schools
Posted 30 Oct 2024
We've concluded our third school distribution in Adansi South today. With this latest effort, we've successfully provided 300 girls with their re-usable menstrual kits.
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Concluding the second school visit in Adansi South
Posted 30 Oct 2024
We've concluded our third school visit of the day in Adansi South district. The students were gathered in the local church for the educational programme.:quality(85))
Final menstrual kit distribution planned for Ghana, closing out year's efforts
Posted 11 Oct 2024
We're looking to close out the year with a final distribution of 300 reusable menstrual kits in Ghana on October 28th.
This will be the last distribution of kits this year and will bring our total to 1,155 students supported, or 462,000 hours of school time reclaimed over a two-year period.
Kwanda community expands support for girls in Ghana's Ashanti Region
Posted 25 Sept 2024
Today, the Kwanda community voted to return to Ghana, expanding this initiative to support an additional 300 girls in the Sekyere Central and Adansi South Districts of the Ashanti Region.
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The final 100 girls in Ghana received their reusable menstrual kits
Posted 18 May 2024
Last week, the Akaya team met with girls from 12 different schools to carry out health workshops and distribute kits, concluding this initiative in Ghana. Here are photos from the day.
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The day is over, and the second school is wrapped
Posted 5 Apr 2024
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200 girls in Dunkwa received the education sessions and resources containing disposable pads, pens, pencils, body soap, and hand sanitisers.
100 menstruating girls across the two schools received sustainable menstrual kits. The remaining 100 will be for the Shai girls next month.
School teachers from both schools also joined the workshops when delivered to be informed.
Formal training will be implemented for the Shai educators next month.
The students providing post-session feedback
Posted 5 Apr 2024
Both students and teachers are encouraged to provide feedback on the sessions so the facilitators can improve upon future workshops and sessions.
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The Akaya team arriving at the second school
Posted 5 Apr 2024
The team is now arriving at the second school for the day, after concluding the first half of the day.
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First school of the day complete
Posted 5 Apr 2024
The facilitators wrapped up at the first school of the day and distributed menstrual kits to all the female menstruating students.
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Photographs of the health education sessions
Posted 5 Apr 2024
Here are some photographs on the students and facilitators in session:
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Nafisat delivering a session on consent and safe touch
Posted 5 Apr 2024
Our fellow Kwanda villager and trained psychotherapist Nafisat delivered a session to the girls on consent and safe touch.
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The team has arrived at the first school and is kicking off the first workshops
Posted 5 Apr 2024
Seen here are girls engaging in small group discussions about the barriers to girls pursuing an education in Ghana. The girls also provide pre-session feedback to the facilitators.
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The team in Ghana have started putting together kits
Posted 4 Apr 2024
A quick update!
The Akaya Foundation team has successfully received the cash transfer. They are procuring and putting together the menstrual kits in Ghana. They will hold the workshops this week and give girls 100 across two schools in the Dunkwa Abontsin area sustainable menstrual kits.
The workshops will involve teachers, boys, and girls.
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We're kicking off our period poverty initiative in 🇬🇠Ghana
Posted 1 Apr 2024
I'm excited to kick off this Ghana initiative with our newest impact partner, the Akaya Foundation, on a mission to support the next generation of female African leaders.
Our villagers have voted to use some of our money to fund health education and reusable kits for 200 students in two districts in Ghana.
I'll update here once the money is in Ghana and work has begun.