THE QUALITY ENHANCEMENT INITIATIVES

Empowering 193 Adjiringanor Junior High School Girls from Economically Disadvantaged Backgrounds in in Accra, Ghana: The Global Quality Assurance Association (GQAA)’s Donation of Sanitary Pads

Do we really think we live in a period friendly world? Many studies around the globe suggest that we do not live in such a world. There are various challenges obstructing the world from being period friendly, some of which include, accessibility and affordability of sanitary wear, clean water for the ladies to wash themselves, lack of education concerning menstrual, cultural and belief systems, among others. In a study by Acheampong et al, (2020) it was noted that adolescent females with disabilities face additional challenges with navigating menstrual hygiene management (MHM) throughout the days of their period.
In a significant step towards promoting menstrual hygiene and supporting young girls’ education, the Global Quality Assurance Association (GQAA) in collaboration with Renel Ghana Foundation, donated re-usable sanitary pads to 193 girls at the Adjiringanor Junior High School in Accra. This event was fully supported by the Adentan Municipality Education Director, Ms Gifty Mussey, who sent some officers to attend the event. Renel Ghana Foundation also donated 100 packets of disposable pads. This initiative not only aims to address the immediate needs of these learners but also to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for their education and personal development.
The GQAA Director-Dr Violet Makuku acknowledges the fact that menstrual hygiene management remains a pressing issue in many parts of Ghana in particular and Africa in general, where access to affordable sanitary products remains a challenge for many families. Although the government’s efforts to fight this challenge are recognize, the impact of the removal of taxes on the materials used to produce the locally made sanitary wear is yet to be measured and felt. For schoolgirls, inaccessibility to affordable sanitary products often results in absenteeism, discomfort, and embarrassment, impacting their academic performance and overall well-being (Konlan, 2020). Recognizing this critical need, the donation was organized to ensure that these 193 girls have the necessary resources to manage their periods with dignity and confidence.
The donation event that was held at the Adjiringanor Junior High School in East Legon, Accra, Ghana, had both male and female learners, teachers, and community members in attendance. This was also in commemoration of the International Menstrual Hygiene Day which comes annually, on the 28th of May. The atmosphere was filled with joy, enthusiasm and gratitude as the girls received their packs of sanitary pads. Each pack was designed to last for at least 3 years, thereby alleviating the financial burden on families and ensuring that the girls can attend school regularly without interruption. This year’s theme was, “Together for a Period Friendly World!!!” In 2023 during the same period, 200 Sowa Din Memorial JHS 1 and 2 girls from economically disadvantaged families in Ashaley-Botwe, Accra – Ghana also benefitted from the same initiative.
By providing sanitary pads, this initiative directly addresses one of the primary barriers to education for girls. With these supplies, the girls at the Adjiringanor Junior High School can now attend classes consistently, participate in extracurricular activities freely, and focus on their studies without the worry of managing their periods in an unsanitary or uncomfortable manner.
In addition to the sanitary pads, the donation event included educational sessions on menstrual hygiene management, the need for male learners to embrace girls and the assistance which they can give as well as demystifying this natural process. Information on the importance of maintaining proper hygiene during menstruation, the correct use of sanitary pads, among other things, was given. MHM education is crucial in dispelling misconceptions, cultural beliefs and myths about menstruation and empowering the girls with knowledge about their own bodies. 
The success of this donation initiative was made possible by the collective efforts of various stakeholders, including local businesses, non-governmental organizations, and community volunteers. Their contributions and support highlight the importance of community involvement in addressing public health issues and supporting the girl-child from economically disadvantaged background’s education.
This donation marks another significant milestone, of the GQAA’s broader effort to improve menstrual hygiene management for economically disadvantaged school girls across Ghana. Sustainable solutions, such as regular donations, increased access to affordable sanitary products, and ongoing education about menstrual health, cultural and belief systems, are essential to ensuring long-term change.
Plans are already underway to expand this initiative to other schools in Accra and beyond gradually as can be permitted by resources. By continuing to collaborate with community partners and stakeholders, a future where no girl has to miss school or feel ashamed because of her period is assured.
The GQAA is calling for all well-wishers to donate in cash and kind. You can contact us through +233 270 239 438 and +233 263 129 798; info@gqaa.org; director@gqaa.org
Together for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld!!!
REFERENCES
  1. Enoch, A., Nadutey, A., Afful, B. F., & Anokye, R. (2020). Menstrual hygiene management: Challenges and coping strategies for adolescents with disabilities in the Kumasi Metro of Ghana. Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development, 31(2), 77-91.
  2. Konlan, L. L. (2020). Assessing the impact of menstrual hygiene management on the health and school attendance of adolescent girls in junior high schools in the KUMBUNGU district of the Northern region of Ghana (Doctoral dissertation).

THE GQAA JOURNEY TOWARDS ITS CONTRIBUTION TO SDG4 (QUALITY EDUCATION) AT THE SOWA DIN MEMORIAL KINDERGARTEN SCHOOL, ACCRA, GHANA THROUGH A 2 CLASSROOMS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

This report is focusing on a 2-classroom block construction project at the Sowa Din Memorial Kindergarten School that was meant to enhance access to quality education to learners from the economically disadvantaged families. The Head Teacher Miss Esther Ofantser, with the support of the other 4 Sowa Din Memorial Cluster Schools approached Dr Violet Makuku regarding the plight of the school in terms of the shortage of classrooms on the 29th of May 2023. This was soon after The Global Quality Assurance Association (GQAA) came with her team to donate sanitary wear to 200 Sowa Din Memorial Junior High School (JHS) 1 and 2 girls.
You can watch the summary video here
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BEFORE
AFTER
The Sowa Din Memorial Kindergarten School is a government Institution located in Ashaley Botwe School-Junction in the Adentan Municipality Greater Accra, Ghana.  The school is headed by Miss Esther Ofantser. The school is divided into two (2) streams (A & B) with a population of two Hundred (200) males and females learners aged between 3-5 years. The school only had a 3-classroom block which was inadequate for teaching and learning to progress smoothly. The school management then decided to set up a temporary structure to ease overcrowding in the classrooms for easy access of learning. However, each time it rained, the classroom became flooded thereby bringing learning to a halt. Apparently, Ghana naturally has long rainy season which would entails a long time without schooling for those children. Fortunately for the school, in 2023, Global Quality Assurance Association (GQAA) headed by Dr. Violet Makuku came in to help build a Kindergarten double classroom block for the school.  Immediately after discussions with the school management and the Parents Teachers’ Association (PTA), the project kicked off with purchasing of building materials like; sand, gravel, blocks and cement on the 4th of October 2023.
The project was then handed over to a mason to start digging and building. Dr. Violet Makuku and her Global Quality Assurance Association team were always around throughout the entire project to supervise and make sure that everything went on well smoothly. Donations were sought from different people to assist in one way or another to make sure that adequate resources would available to complete the building. Some people donated cement while others donated floor tiles.  After putting up the structure, tiling, painting and other final touches were later done to make the building usable.
On Wednesday 31st January, 2024, a brief ceremony was organized to hand over the 2 classroom blocks to the staff and management of Sowa Din Memorial Kindergarten School. The short handover ceremony was learner-centred as things like the opening and closing prayers, recitations, music, dances and choreography were all done by the kindergarten children aged between 4-5years. In attendance at the handing over ceremony was Dr. Violet Makuku, the Director – Global Quality Assurance Association and her team, the Adentan Municipal Education Director, Officers from Adentan Education Office, Sowa Din Memorial Cluster School Head teachers, the PTA executives, parents, teachers and learners. 

 

This project was a dream come true and a great story to tell future generations of how such wonderful and beautiful classrooms came about. Special appreciation goes to Dr Makuku for initiating the project, coordinating the work and mobilization of resources.
Submitted by: Mr Jengre Samuel Jengle on the 3rd of FEBRUARY 2024

Contributing Towards SDG4-Quality Education: The GQAA's Classrooms Construction Project

INTERNATIONAL MENSTRUAL HYGIENE DAY

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THE GQAA DONATED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO THREE BASIC SCHOOLS IN ACCRA

The Global Quality Assurance Association walks the quality assurance talk through quality enhancement projects, events and activities. The current focus is on 3 Primary and 3 Junior High Schools in Accra, Ghana. The GQAA aims to replicate such projects to other regions and other African countries, resources permitting. The aspects that compromise the quality of education include, but are not limited to cracked classrooms walls and floors with potholes as well as leaking roofs. They all need general renovations including painting. They need more washrooms. Some children need things like exercise books, pens and pencils, which we normally think are easy to get. Some also need new school uniforms and shoes. In some cases the situation is dire and pathetic. So far, books, pens and pencils were donated to the 3 primary schools. A lot more work still needs to be done. Another project on board is to assist the schools to have gardens and orchards where short maturing vegetables and fruits can be grown to feed the children while some can be sold to generate income that can be used, for example, to supply the children with clean satchet water for drinking.

SPEECH AND PRIZE GIVING DAY/GRADUATION CEREMONY

The 17th of December 2022 was once again a great day for another voluntary social service. I was invited to a SPEECH AND PRIZE GIVING DAY/GRADUATION ceremony for the SOWA DIN MEMORIAL PRIMARY 1 SCHOOL in Accra, Ghana. It was such a great honour and privilege to be invited by the school management through the head Mrs Dorice Adu Gyamfi. I talked about the Theme: “The Changing Paradigm Of Education And The Role Of Stakeholders,” as the guest speaker for this occasion.
Supporting these women who are leading and educating these young ones who will feed into the universities in Africa is something really important. I am just encouraging all education stakeholders to make any contribution to these schools directly in cash or kind, especially those in the disadvantaged communities. It really makes a difference and, in a way, contributes to the quality of education that those children will get. Not all who give have got surplus to do so but it is just trying to make a difference in somebody’s life. I had an opportunity to handover prizes to some students and to talk about quality and quality assurance in education. My emphasis was on bringing awareness to all stakeholders including parents that they also have a role to play directly and indirectly towards the quality of education that the children can get. 
Are you also contributing anything to schools in your communities? If yes, let us continue with the good work. If not it is never too late to start something, particularly at grassroots level. Let us all contribute towards the change that we want to see at national, regional, continental and global levels.
 
 
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