NGO launches project to promote girl-child education

By Florence Afriyie Mensah, GNA
Dagomba (Ash), June 29, GNA - An NGO, EPF Educational Empowerment Initiative, has launched a project to promote girl-child education, in difficult-to-reach communities across the Sekyere Afram Plains District.

Under it, the organization is providing guidance and counselling, supplying sanitary towels to adolescent school girls and taking care of their other basic needs.

Ms. Winnifred Selby, President of the Organization, said the goal was to help retain and prevent them from dropping out of school.

Speaking at the official launch of the 'Always keeping girls in school project' at Dagomba, a predominantly farming community in the district, she said education was a powerful tool, which could be used to lift people out of poverty.

This was why their girls' education should be made an urgent national priority, she added.

Ms. Selby stated that over the past six years her NGO, had helped to keep over 10,000 girls in school in three regions - Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo and Northern.

It did that through direct financial intervention - payment of the fees of those from poor homes and supply of uniforms as well as one-on-one interaction to get to know their problems and how to address these.

She said they were determined to give every needed support to the girl child to live their academic dreams.

The NGO, she said, found it completely unacceptable for any of them to drop out of school because of economic reasons

Ms. Selby called for the removal of sales tax on sanitary products to make them cheaper for especially students to patronize.

Sanitary pads in excess of 200 and large quantity of exercise books were freely distributed to female students in four selected junior high schools (JHS) in the area at the ceremony.

Mr. Richard Vawurah, the District Education Director, advised the beneficiaries to make use of their sanitary towels to avoid discomfort during their menstrual cycle.

He applauded the NGO's initiative and appealed to the district assembly to provide all schools with washrooms.

GNA