In a heartfelt gesture to mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day, Women in the Media South reached out to some of Bo’s most overlooked girls, on May 28, 2025   donating essential hygiene supplies to the Paul School for the Blind and to street children who accompany their parents to beg for a living.

The donation included sanitary pads, shaving sticks, foam soap, and bathing soap, bringing not only relief but dignity to girls and young women who often face menstruation in silence and without the supplies they need, Josephine M. Kailie, Coordinator of Women in the Media South, emphasized the group’s commitment to addressing menstrual hygiene challenges, particularly among vulnerable populations.

We came here last year, and today we’re back because we believe these girls matter, their hygiene, dignity, and comfort matter, Kailie said, this is not a donor-funded initiative, we did this from our own pockets, a few of our male colleagues from the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) even chipped in to support us.

This year’s outreach reflects a growing awareness around menstrual health as not only a medical issue but a matter of basic human rights, in many communities, menstruation is still stigmatized, leading to isolation and loss of confidence among adolescent girls especially those with disabilities or in extreme poverty.

At the Paul School for the Blind, the donation was received with overwhelming gratitude. Smiles, clapping, and quiet words of thanks filled the air as students accepted their kits. School authorities, visibly moved, expressed deep appreciation for the repeat visit.

This act of kindness means a lot to us, said Mr. Conteh, the school’s head, you didn’t forget us. You came again. These girls feel seen and loved. May God bless Women in the Media South for their compassion and consistency.

For girls living with disabilities and those forced onto the streets, menstrual health often comes last on the list of survival needs. But this year’s World Menstrual Hygiene Day has served as a powerful reminder: every girl deserves the right to manage her period with dignity, no matter her circumstances, as the global movement to end period poverty continues, initiatives like this one from Women in the Media South are helping to break the silence and bring change one act of kindness at a time.

Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Friday, May 30TH, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)