Kasengejje schools unite to commemorate menstrual hygiene day

28 May 2025, 9:12 pm

By Byamukama Alozious

Schools in the Kasengejje community gathered to commemorate Menstrual Hygiene Day, with participants including Kasengejje Primary School, St. Charles Primary School, Tavia School, and Ihsaan Junior School. The event focused on empowering girls and promoting effective menstrual hygiene management.

Menstrual Hygiene Day is marked on May 28 to reflect the average 28-day menstrual cycle, serving as a reminder that menstruation is a natural and normal biological process. However, despite its universality, menstruation remains a source of shame and exclusion for many girls in Uganda.

Nabaasa Enid, Deputy Executive Director of the Centre for Women Justice, who led the community mobilisation, emphasised the need to end menstrual stigma.

“Every woman and girl experiences menstruation, but many still feel ashamed or afraid to attend school during their period due to fear of embarrassment or teasing. We want to change that narrative and create an environment where girls feel supported and proud,” she said.

Nabaasa highlighted that menstrual hygiene is a shared responsibility, involving schools, families, communities, and the government. She noted that many young girls drop out of school in Kasengejje and Uganda at large due to poor menstrual health care.

“No girl should be sent home or miss school because she cannot manage her menstrual hygiene,” she stressed.

Nabufu Ester, Senior Woman Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher at Kasengejje Primary School, appreciated the efforts of the Centre for Women Justice in raising awareness. She highlighted the challenges girls face, such as relying on old cloths due to the high cost of sanitary pads, which range between UGX 3,000 to 6,000 per pack.

She urged the government to allocate specific budgets for menstrual hygiene management in schools and to reduce taxes on locally made sanitary pads to improve affordability.

Nakimera Lovejoy, a primary seven student, shared her experience performing a play to educate classmates on menstrual hygiene. She spoke about the pain and embarrassment many girls endure and expressed gratitude for the provision of sanitary pads during the event.

“Many girls are too shy or fearful to ask their parents for pads. Parents have become too busy to teach us about menstrual hygiene. Most of our information comes from school,” she said, challenging parents to take more responsibility.

The event also saw the introduction of a community pad dispenser at Kasengejje Primary School to ensure continuous access to sanitary towels.

Immaculate Owomugisha, Executive Director of the Centre for Women Justice, stressed the need for improved coordination between the Ministries of Health and Education to address menstrual hygiene as both an educational and health issue.

She emphasised the importance of training teachers and school leaders to support girls during menstruation and to recognise and manage related health concerns such as urinary tract infections.

Menstrual Hygiene Day at Kasengejje Primary School served as a strong reminder to the community that with collective action, support, and policy commitment, girls can stay in school, overcome stigma, and thrive.