Water for People trains Blantyre schools’ mother groups

Water for People has trained mother groups from 30 primary schools in Blantyre Urban in sewing reusable sanitary pads using local materials as one way of enhancing sanitation and hygiene for adolescent girls.

Speaking at Blantyre Girls Primary School on Friday when members of the school’s mother group drilled Standard Seven learners, Water for People sanitation officer Brian Mulenga said the training was part of a school water sanitation and hygiene  (Wash) project the institution is implementing in Blantyre, Chikwawa and Chiradzulu districts.

“Apart from training the mother groups in sewing reusable sanitary pads, we are also training them in resource mobilisation so that they can be sourcing local resources on their own to continue supporting the girls,” he said.

In an interview, Blantyre urban schools’ health, nutrition, HIV and Aids and gender coordinator Marjorie Mathews Banda said positive fruits from the training have already started trickling down to learners who are making their own reusable sanitary pads using local materials.

“Previously, the schools used to register a lot of girls’ absenteeism because they did not have sanitary pads to use during menstruation period but now the situation is different,” she said.

Blantyre Girls Primary School mother group chairperson Felister Lompwa said they plan to train all adolescent learners at the school.