Monrovia – Teenaged girls residing in Lakpazee Community on the Airfield, over the weekend were taught how to properly use the sanitary pad (kotex) whenever it is that time of the month.
In addition to the usage of sanitary pads, the girls were taught how to dispose of pads after they had been used.
The NGO, Girls Pad-Liberia Incorporated (GPL), which conducted the training, also handed out pads to 100 girls.
During lecture on the usage and disposal of the pads, GPL’s Executive Director Princess Perry stressed the importance on teenagers getting to know how helpful pads are when a woman is menstruating.
Ms. Perry, in her early 20s, stated that it is obvious that a most girl will get involved with the experience of menstruating as they grow up.
“If you’ve started menstruating or if you simply want to learn how to use a sanitary pad to get prepared, our organization fits in that gap; we want to see our little girls in the community to be hygienic knowledgeable as they grow,” she stated.
She frowned on mothers who allow their teenagers to use pieces of clothes when they are menstruating. “It is actually frustrating to see a female using a piece of cloth to prevent blood. The worst part about that is to see that cloth that was used is disposed of in a way that other people can see. It is not supposed to be dashing around; some of them at times wash it and use it again.”
According to her, all of that happen because either the girls do not have money to purchase pads or they do not know about it. “This is the reason why I am on the frontline to educate our girls the importance of pads. Through the little support we will get from friends, will be used to distribute free pads as we did on World Menstruation Day (WMD).”
On WMD, GPL provided free tutorial on the usage of pads where they also distributed free pads to each of the more the 100 teenage girls who had gone to attend the program.
On that day Ms. Perry told her peers that teenagers knowing how to use a sanitary pad will give them confidence during their period, while keeping your underwear clean.
“Peel the pad off the wrapper and remove the paper strip that covers the sticky part of the pad. Put the wrapper and strip in the bin. Press the sticky side of the pad into the center of your knickers. If your pad has wings, wrap those around the sides of your pantie,” she explained to the girls while demonstrating it with a new underwear she had brought with her.
That being done, she exclaimed: “You’re good to go!” She reminded them, however, “Don’t forget to wash your hands when you’re done.”
Ms. Perry further told her peers that knowing how to wear a pad also goes side by side with knowing how to change it. “When you’re ready to change your pad, simply peel the pad off your knickers, wrap it up in toilet tissue or the wrapper it came in and throw it into bin. Never flush it! This could cause the toilet to clog,” she advised.