Mr Baabu demonstrating to some school children how the board game is played
A Board game to sensitise school children on menstrual hygiene has been launched at Ashamoah M/A Basic School in the Ga South Municipality in Accra.
Dubbed, Menstrual Hygiene Board Game, it was developed by Michael Baabu, the Founder of Safe Child Ghana, a child focused Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) based in Tema.
It was launched as part of this year’s observance of the World Menstrual Hygiene Day which was on the theme “Making Menstruation a Normal Fact of Life by 2030.”
Speaking during a demonstration of the game, Mr Baabu said, the game was created to educate school children about menstruation and the need for a hygienic lifestyle.
The board game, Mr Baabu noted, was an innovative way to sensitise both girls and boys on issues about period and the hygienic means for girls to care for themselves when they were due.
“We noted that, almost every phenomenon has innovative means through which school children learn about it. Unfortunately, there are no games or playful activities that focuses on sensitising people about menstruation.
He explained that, the Menstrual Hygiene Board Game was created based on numerous written literature and research to create awareness, educate and remove taboos and stigma associated with menstruation.
He explained that, lack of knowledge about menstrual hygiene was the reason some girls do not know how to care for themselves during their period.
According to him, in some situations, some girls have been forced to stay away from school for lack of access to sanitary pads and other protective wears.
“After going through the game, the player gets equipped and learns menstrual hygiene rules. We hope and know that together, we will achieve our objective of making menstruation a normal fact of life,” he added.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Safe Child Ghana, Eunice Gifty Baadu, presented six large boxes of sanitary pads to the school for onward distribution to the girls.
Although the cost of the sanitary pads was not disclosed, she said, the products could serve the girls for a period of six months.
To achieve this year’s theme of making menstruation a normal fact of life, she stated that, it was necessary to involve boys in sensitisation activities to demystify menstruation.
She further urged the government to remove all taxes on sanitary pads to enhance its accessibility.
Mrs Baadu advised the school children to view menstruation as a natural phenomenon which every girl must go through, hence the need for all to support them in maintaining hygienic practices.
Safe Child Ghana, she said, had partnered with the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) project, funded by the World Bank, to intensify education on menstruation and other hygienic practices.The Headmistress of Ashamoah M/A Basic School, Mercy Agbodze expressed gratitude to Safe Child Ghana for the support saying that menstrual hygiene was very critical, especially for young girls to improve punctuality.
BY Cecilia Lagba