One Life Aid Foundation (OLAF), a Non-Governmental and Non-Profit making Organisation has joined the Roman Catholic Schools in the Eastern region to celebrate their annual Education Week.
As part of its support, OLAF took its Hand Washing and Menstrual Hygiene projects to students of the Roman Catholic Schools Complex in Koforidua Sorodae.
The Founder and Executive Director of One Life Aid Foundation (OLAF), Joycelyn Siaw-Asamoah in an interview said Hand Hygiene and Menstrual hygiene are important areas for child’s development which have great impact on their academic performance.
According to her the Foundation conducted a sresearch and established that majority of school children especially adolescent girls know very little about personal hygiene and how to take care of themselves during Menstrual periods.
She said, inadequate sensitisation of school children on Menstrual hygiene have serious consequences on their academic performance since majority of them fail to attend class due to one for of stigma or the other from their male peers.
“We brought our projects to them to teach them how to wash their hands properly so as not to contract communicable diseases and other diseases that can be contracted through filth. We are also supporting their Education Week by donating some items which will be given out to winners of their Math and Science Quiz competition,” she said.
Thomas Tetteh Ofoe, Headmaster of Eva Maria School, who chaired the function said children need to keep themselves clean to remain healthy and to feel good about themselves.
According to him good personal hygiene will help boost their self-esteem and confidence and that good personal hygiene also boosts confidence.
He advised the school children to adopt the basics of good personal hygiene are which hand washing, having regular baths and brushing and flossing teeth.
He charged parents to “help your child practise good personal hygiene habits. These will become even more important as they grow older and approach puberty. Being able to talk openly and honestly about keeping clean will help you manage the more difficult personal hygiene issues that are likely to come up when they are teenagers.”
Also, the Circuit Supervisor of Koforidua Sorodae, Mr. Michael Ohene Adu expressed appreciation to OLAF for bringing such programming to the students.
He said education plays critical role in the lives of people and that the Church, school, family and community have a major role to play in ensuring a better society of responsible and healthy people.
Mr. Michael Ohene Adu also averred that personal hygiene is an important component in education of the child and that corporate organisations and individuals such as OLAF must take keen interest in implementing programme and projects that will help children pay much attention to their health.
He also suggested that OLAF should add community clean up exercises to their projects.
He noted that when the community is clean, it has a positive effect on the lives of people and children will be the most beneficiaries.
Michael Ohene Adu also charged the pupils to do away with bad companies and friends and focus on their books.
According to him, education is the only key to securing their future hence, they must make every efforts to reach the top of the education ladder and become good citizens and leaders of tomorrow.
Volunteers from OLAF demonstrated to the children how best to wash their hands and how to use their Menstrual Pads.
At the end of the exercise, the Foundation donated boxes of pads, washing bowls, soap and tissues to the various schools including Eva Maria RC Basic school, St Black, Faith Lemens school and St Agnes basic school
The children were encourage to wash their hands with soap and water when their hands look dirty, before eating or preparing food, after touching raw meats, including chicken and beef, touching any body fluids like blood, urine or vomit, after blowing their nose, sneezing or coughing and after going to the toilet.
