Iganga, Uganda: Hundreds of adolescent girls at Buwolomera Primary School in Nawaningi Sub-county, Iganga District, have received menstrual health support and scholastic materials from Good Heart Uganda (GHU) in an initiative aimed at reducing school absenteeism and promoting girls’ education.
The outreach programme provided sanitary pads, undergarments and learning materials to learners while also equipping them with knowledge on menstrual hygiene management and personal health.
The intervention targeted girls who often miss classes due to a lack of access to sanitary products, a challenge that continues to affect school attendance and academic performance in many rural communities.
In addition to distributing supplies, trained volunteers conducted menstrual hygiene education sessions, creating a safe environment for girls to discuss issues surrounding menstruation and learn how to manage their periods with confidence and dignity.
Buwolomera Primary School Headteacher Florence Namusabi welcomed the support, describing it as a timely intervention that addresses a longstanding challenge affecting learners.
“This is a critical issue for our girls. When they lack basic supplies, they stay home. Good Heart Uganda has given them a reason to come to school every day,” Namusabi said.
The school’s Senior Woman Teacher, Babirye, praised the hygiene education sessions, noting that many learners had previously lacked a platform to seek guidance on menstrual health.
“The education part was just as important as the pads. Now our girls understand how to take care of themselves properly,” she said.
Good Heart Uganda Director Rogers Mukisa called on communities, development partners and education stakeholders to continue supporting vulnerable learners, especially girls facing barriers to education.
“Dignity and access to basic supplies are not luxuries. They are essential to keeping girls in school. If we remove this barrier, we remove absenteeism,” Mukisa said.
He noted that the large turnout during the outreach highlighted the growing need for menstrual health support in rural schools.
Several beneficiaries told DailyExpress that they often miss between three and four days of school every month due to a lack of sanitary products, but said the intervention had given them renewed confidence to attend classes consistently.
Good Heart Uganda reaffirmed its commitment to advancing menstrual health, education and gender equity among school-going girls across the region.
Mukisa said the organisation is receiving increasing requests for similar interventions from schools and will continue partnering with teachers, parents and local leaders to ensure girls remain in school and achieve their full potential.
The outreach forms part of broader efforts to eliminate barriers to education for girls and promote equal learning opportunities regardless of socio-economic background.
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