Reducing reliance on unhygienic menstrual materials among Ugandan girls

19 April 2025, 11:45 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

In 1997, the Government of Uganda rolled out the Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme with the aim of providing education for all children, and to improve access, equity, and relevance in primary education. However, over the years, the programme has faced increasing dropout rates due to a variety of factors, including poverty, child labour, parental negligence, and the absence of role models. Among girls, the high dropout rate has been largely attributed to early marriages, poverty, lack of essential resources, inadequate information about menstrual hygiene, and limited access to sanitary pads, particularly in rural areas.

In response to these challenges, various organisations and individuals have stepped in to support the girl child. The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Company, in partnership with Malaika, a social enterprise, launched a corporate social responsibility initiative to distribute reusable sanitary pads to approximately 15,000 school-going girls across five districts: Hoima, Kikuube, Mubende, Kakumiro, and Kyankwanzi. This year-long programme aims to address menstrual hygiene challenges and reduce school absenteeism among girls.

Speaking at the launch, Harriet Kihumuro, the Hoima District Education Officer, said the initiative would significantly help girls remain in school.

“For fear of stigma, some girls choose to stay at home during their periods, which causes them to fall behind in their studies. On average, girls lose up to 60 percent of their annual school time, leading to poor academic performance, class repetition, and diminished self-esteem. This, in turn, lowers their morale and often results in school dropout. Those who try to stay in school sometimes resort to desperate measures, such as accepting money from older men to afford sanitary products, leading to early pregnancies and further dropout. Others use unhygienic materials like old rags, which result in infections,” she explained.

According to a study by the Ministry of Education and Sports, 70 percent of girls in Uganda use unsafe materials such as soil, banana fibres, and old clothes to manage their menstruation. These materials are not only unhygienic but also cause discomfort, skin irritation, and other health complications.

At the programme’s launch, girls received reusable sanitary pads and buckets for cleaning and storage during menstruation. Dorothy Awori, Team Leader at Malaika, explained that the initiative is based on a five-pronged model. This includes access to menstrual hygiene products and training on how to wash and store the pads.

Other components of the model include: a sustainable approach, which teaches learners how to make pads using locally available materials; a peer-to-peer approach, focusing on navigating puberty and managing menstrual challenges; and an inclusion strategy that involves boys, fathers, and male teachers in menstrual health education.

The school dropout rate in the Bunyoro sub-region is estimated at 73 percent. Some of the beneficiaries expressed their gratitude to EACOP and Malaika for addressing menstrual hygiene, a key barrier to girls’ education.