Zombo, Uganda: Over 100 girls and mothers in Zombo District have been equipped with practical skills in reusable sanitary pad production and liquid soap making in a targeted intervention to tackle period poverty and keep girls in school.
The training, organised by the Reconciliation Ministry, was held on March 17 at the Bible School Training Centre in Paidha Town Council, bringing together participants from three Church of Uganda congregations.
The one-day capacity-building workshop targeted adolescent girls as young as 12 years, alongside mothers and some men, with a focus on affordable menstrual hygiene management and household income generation.
Chairperson Francis Jaryekunga said the initiative is designed to directly address school absenteeism linked to lack of sanitary products.
“We trained girls as young as 12 to help retain them in school, while also equipping mothers who cannot afford commercial sanitary pads,” he said. “The liquid soap production component supports income generation for vulnerable households.”
Period poverty remains a major barrier to education in Uganda, with national estimates indicating that about 10% of girls miss school monthly due to lack of menstrual hygiene products.
Experts say stigma, poor sanitation facilities, and limited access to affordable pads continue to drive absenteeism and dropout rates, particularly in rural districts like Zombo.
The initiative aligns with national efforts to improve menstrual hygiene management through grassroots interventions.
Ministry representative Oyikuru Jackson urged beneficiaries to apply the knowledge practically and sustain its impact. “We have provided the knowledge, now we urge beneficiaries to put it into practice,” he said.
Facilitator Emmanuel Ociti Oyet praised participants for their active engagement and encouraged them to share the skills within their communities.
Participants welcomed the training, describing it as life-changing. “I will extend this knowledge to fellow church members, especially girls, to help them stay in school and generate income,” said Paula Pifua from Nyibola Church of Uganda.
Others, including lay leader Denis Ozelle and Gloria Pimer, pledged to use the skills to improve household hygiene and economic self-reliance.
Jaryekunga noted that limited resources remain a major challenge in expanding the program. “We would like to extend this initiative to every corner of Zombo, but we are constrained by resources. We appeal for support from well-wishers and partners,” he said.
Founded in 2017, the Reconciliation Ministry operates across Zombo, Nebbi and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, focusing on community empowerment and social transformation.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
