Wilmar Africa/Inspire Today mark International Women’s Day with rural girls
Wilmar Africa, producer’s of Jama soap and Alife partnered an NGO, INSPIRE TODAY, to support more than 4,000 menstruating girls in the Volta Region.
The donation was to mark this years International Women’s Day.
Beneficiary schools were Mepe, Dadome, and Juapong schools in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region.
Girls in Akrofu in the Sokode district of the Volta Region also received support from the team.
The girls were provided with sanitary pads, bathing soap, roll-ons, shaving sticks and educational materials.
Assistant brand manager for non-food category for Wilmar Africa, Maame Adwoa Markin says the company is interested in the hygiene and wellbeing of girls in Ghana especially those in rural communities.
Read: North Tongu MP partners NGO Inspire Today to mark International Women’s Day
‘We know that when you educate a woman you educate a whole nation and that Is why we invest a lot in the girl child, ensuring they smell good, eat well and grow healthy. All our products from FORTUNE RICE, to JAMA SOAP, Alife are all geared towards the wellbeing of society. As we mark International Women’s day, we wish to encourage girls especially in rural communities not to give up on their dreams,” she added.
Founder and CEO of Inspire Today, Etornam Sey, stressed on the need for government to review the 20 per cent tax on sanitary towels so that the rural girl can afford it. She stressed the need to urgently address the issue of period poverty as this deprives most girls access to quality education.
‘The estimated cost of one pad in Ghana averages to about GHS 5. Organizations that support healthy menstruation management, like Inspire Today, believe the Ghanaian government should remove the tax on these materials’. Many Ghanaian advocacy groups have proposed grassroots manufacturing initiatives for menstruation materials as an economically and environmentally sustainable solution. We believe that manufacturing menstruation materials on the ground would reduce costs and increase accessibility for these vital products,’ she explained.
Inspire Today foundation is a network organization nurturing a nationwide movement of female leaders through a concerted effort at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 5.
International Women’s Day marked on 8th March is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.
