No girl should ever have to choose between her education and her period. Yet, every month, millions of school girls face that exact choice due to a lack of resources and overwhelming stigma.
To mark Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28th, the Community Echoes Association took action to change this narrative by launching Project RED (Realize, Educate, Defend) at GHS Motombolombo, Tiko.
Project RED tackled period poverty and stigma head-on through a two-pronged approach:
1. Launching the Pad Bank Center: They officially opened a fully stocked Pad Bank Center at GHS Motombolombo-Tiko, donating sanitary pads and hygiene wipes.
Project RED is an initiative that will target schools across Tiko Sub-Division to tackle period poverty, promote menstrual health education, and break the stigma surrounding menstruation.
This sustainable repository ensures that any student caught off guard can access clean supplies immediately. The goal is simple: Zero missed classes because of a period.
2. An Inclusive Conversation: Periods are not just a “girls’ issue”—they are a human issue. Project RED broke traditional barriers by hosting an educational talk for both boys and girls. By bringing boys into the conversation, they are fostering empathy, dismantling age-old myths, and actively crushing the stigma that leads to bullying and shame.
Period Dignity = Educational Equality. When they provide pads, they are not just giving out supplies; they are keeping girls in school, protecting their dignity, and securing their future.
The Community Echoes Association thanked the administration, teachers, and incredible students of GHS Motombolombo for embracing this initiative. Together, they are building a world where menstruation is a fact of life, not a barrier to education.
Mary Ndinge Lyonga is a marketing assistant at Eagle Wings and Spice Located at Mutengene, Tiko Road.
She was once a Volunteer at the Tiko Council Community Radio for a period of 3 months under the Leadership of Mme Sarah Nkongho as the Station Manager. She is a graduate from the department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Faculty of Social and Management Science, University of Buea.