The ECOWAS Resident Representative Office in Liberia, in collaboration with the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) and Payless Bana Innovations (Payless Pads), organized a Trainer of Trainers Workshop focused on Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) across four counties in Liberia. The event took place from February 24th to 26th, 2025, targeting rural areas including Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Bassa, and Bomi Counties.
This initiative aims to address the challenges faced by adolescent girls who are at risk of dropping out of school due to the lack of affordable and accessible sanitary pads. It is reported that young girls can miss up to 50 days of school annually because of menstruation-related issues. This situation poses a significant threat to their educational prospects, particularly in rural communities.
The four-day workshop titled "Closing the Gap in Sexual Reproductive Health and Promoting Healthy Menstrual Hygiene Practices" provided schoolgirls with opportunities to learn how to make reusable sanitary pads. The training was attended by District Education Officers, District Health Officers, and the Director of Sexual Reproductive Health from the Ministry of Gender. They expressed gratitude towards ECOWAS and WAHO for this initiative and encouraged participants to leverage these skills as ambassadors for menstrual hygiene.
H.E. Josephine Nkrumah, Resident Representative, highlighted the importance of empowering young girls through such interventions which help them remain in school and reach their full potential as citizens. She also noted the environmental benefits since regular pads are not biodegradable. This intervention addresses both educational empowerment and environmental protection.
A second phase is planned for March 2025 with funding from WAHO, involving the distribution of approximately 6,000 reusable pads.
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