Our Work
Providing menstrual cups and education to young girls and mothers in Ghana. Sustainably.
Providing Bfree cups, suited specifically to Ghanaian period poverty, to provide effective relief for free
Breaking taboos through community education programming to make menstruation safe and shame-free
Building long-term capacities within communities by engaging stakeholders, and installing trained local ambassadors to maintain quality programming
Empowering Women
Providing menstrual products and education to young girls and mothers in Ghana.
Leisa Hirtz, CEO of Women's Health Innovations, the Canadian company that developed the Bfree cup, visited Dagbamete in October 2023 at the invitation of the Queen Mother to lay the groundwork for a pilot study. The two workshops held in January are the beginnings of a program that will be expanded to schools throughout the Akatsi South district and beyond. The program is supported through fundraising by Kayla Becker in America and Suzanne Tyson in Canada, both of whom have visited the village.
Pictured holding the Bfree cup and its packaging: Lisa Hirtz CEO of Women's Health Innovations on the right, with Queen Mother Mama Adzorhlor III on the left.
Menstrual Health Pilot Program Launched in Dagbamete
Article Highlights
Missing School
According to recent reports on menstrual health in Ghana, at least nine out of ten girls miss school during their menstrual periods. Among the reasons cited are lack of sanitary products, taboos, and the shame associated with inadequate menstrual hygiene. The high cost of menstrual pads, at about 20 cedis each, makes effective control of menstrual bleeding inaccessible to many girls.
Workshop Survey
Ninety workshop participants completed a menstrual health questionnaire. Among the findings are that 42% never or only sometimes found their menstrual materials comfortable, 37% often or always worried about running out of menstrual materials, and 41% never or only sometimes could get more when they needed to.
Bfree Menstrual Cup
Participants were each given new antibacterial menstrual cups from Canada called Bfree. It is made with a unique surface microstructure that bacteria cannot adhere to, according to the manufacturer. No boiled water is required to sterilize it after use: it only needs to be wiped clean. It is also designed to establish a tight seal to prevent leakage, yet is still easy to insert and remove.