As part of activities to mark the 2021 International Girl Child Day, the Teshie Nungua Area (TNA) Women’s Ministry undertook a sensitisation outreach at the Teshie-Gonno Cluster of Schools.
The Teshie Lekma 4 Primary and Kindergarten pupils were on the afternoon shift when the Area Women’s Leader, Deaconess Sophia Nana Arthur, and her team visited the school. The delegation also included Deaconess Harriet Owusu Agbenya (Assistant Area Ministry Leader) and some district leaders from the Area.
In line with the theme for this year’s celebrations, the Area Women’s Leader sensitised the girls on menstruation and the benefits of menstrual hygiene.
She mentioned that menstruation is unique to females, and access to the proper knowledge on the use and disposal of sanitary pads was necessary for the girl-child.
Deaconess Arthur also stressed the importance of digital literacy and the safe and effective use of digital technologies. “Digital literacy is not taking selfies and updating WhatsApp statuses but understanding the ubiquitous technologies available to us and using them appropriately,” she said.
The ministry also donated exercise books, pencils, erasers, reading books, liquid soaps, sanitary pads, and food items to the pupils.
The headmistress of the school, Mrs Ernestina Markine, received the items on behalf of the pupils. Together with some teachers at the school, they expressed gratitude to the church for the kind gesture.
Mrs Markine shared some of the challenges school authorities had to deal with due to parental neglect, for which reasons she considered the items timely and necessary to meet the needs of the 21st-century girl-child.
In all, about 200 pupils from classes 1 to 6 participated in the event.
The United Nations has declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child. The day is observed to create awareness on the importance of adolescent girls and attempts made by society to empower and identify their potentials by providing opportunities for them.
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