By Yunus S Saliu
Comprehensive Health Education (CHE) team under the Curriculum Research Evaluation and Development Directorate of Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education Friday concluded a five-day training program for twenty-six Home Economics Teachers in Region One.
At the five-day intensive training, 26 Home Economics Teachers from different schools within the region were trained on how to sew reusable sanitary pads, and certificated by CHE.
They were trained by the Girls’ Pride while they will in turn do step down trainings for students at their various schools.
CHE under the project – Strengthening Access to Quality Comprehensive Health Education in The Gambia is an implementation research project done by Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education funded by International Development Research Center (IDRC), Canada.
During the course of the training, the trained teachers developed a project called Pretty Girls’ Corner which will be implemented across all the 26 different schools. The project will establish reusable sanitary pad bank in Home Economics labs in schools as the project initiators (trained teachers) will train their colleagues and students both boys and girls on how to sew handmade reusable pads at their practical sessions.
Addressing the trained teachers at the closing ceremony of the event held at Educational Regional Directorate, Region 1 office, New Jewshwang, Ms Phebian Ina Grant-Sagnia, Principal Investigator of project for Strengthening Access to Quality Comprehensive Health Education for in-and-out of School Adolescents in Region I expressed delights and applauded the participants for their wonderful performance at the weeklong training.
She gave a general overview of the training which she said started from research done in 2020 where over 40 schools were interviewed – public and private, boys and girls (students) of upper basic and senior secondary schools (in schools). And the out of school also, boys and girls between the ages of 15 to 19 in 28 wards within the Greater Banjul in Region One that’s from Banjul to Abuko.
Among the findings identified are communication gaps whereby adolescents and parents cannot communicate with each other concerning their lives style especially on their reproductive health.
In a breakdown, she said teachers that participated in the just concluded training comprised teachers from upper basic; senior secondary schools, private-public, madrassa school and also the special needs teachers.
The Principal Investigator disclosed that the reusable pads is eco-friendly; sustainable and as well affordable for everyone compare to disposable sanitary pads.
She added that the training also focused on hygiene management saying it was noted that in schools And the other reason for the training is that in the shools, students and their teachers have issue on the hygiene management especially on how the young girls are disposing their sanitary pads in schools around.
Ms Grant-Sagnia dilated on the materials used for the production while she thanked the participants, trainers and International Development Research Center (IDRC), Canada for funding the Strengthening Access to Quality Comprehensive Health Education for in-and-out of School in The Gambia and Curriculum Research Evaluation and Development Directorate of Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education for the implementation.
The trainer, Fatoumatta Jabbi-Kassama, Founder and CEO of Girls’ Pride expressed satisfaction about the performance of the trainees saying the best moment of the training to her is their developed project called Pretty Girls’ Corner.
She explained that Pretty Girls’ Corner is an initiative project of the trained teachers from the 26 schools whereby each student will be trained and at the end they will sew sanitary pads leaves one or two pads in the pad bank created in school for themselves and friends.
Ms Jobarteh on behalf of Director of CREDD congratulated the Home science teachers for their completion of the training and thanked the trainer, CHE principal investigator and team for a job well done while applauded IDRC for funding the project.
The objective of this is to keep girls in schools during their periods, teach them on self-care and support them to achieve their future dreams. The initiators of the Pretty Girls’ corner included Isatou Mballow – Aji Sukai Ndateh SSS; Zainab Conteh -New Life UBS; Saffiatou A Jallow –Latrikunda Sabiji UBS/SSS; Haddy Jobe –New Convenant; Isatou H Jallow –Gambia SSS; Dalanda Jallow –Kotu SSS; Anna C Asante –Baketeh UBS/SSS; Fatou Sarjo –Greater Banjul SSS; Veronic Mendy –Kanifing UBS/SSS; Michelle Rose Mendy –SoS L/UBS; Bintou Hydara –Garba Jahumpa UBS; Kaddijatou Jallow – Charles Jow Memmorial Academy; Fatima Jammeh, Salimata Drammeh –Tadamun Islamic Center; Matty Cham – ABC UBS/SSS; Maimuna Jah – Muslim SSS; Marry A Kaikai -Ndows Comprehensive; Awa Kuyateh – Carter Basic Cycle; Fatou M Joof –St Augustine’s UBS; Ndumbeh AK Sallah – Tallinding UBS; Ramatu A Sankoh –Brimaw UBS; Jacinta Ajikch Alghali –St Therese’s UBS; Olly Bamba – St Joseph UBS; Sainey Bittaye Latrikunda UBS and Paulina Nyacki Lusack –Bakau UBS.
