By Wakisa Myamba

Karonga, January 8, Mana: Two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Karonga, Youth Alliance Against Cancer (YOACA) and Fast Network, have embarked on menstrual health and cervical cancer lessons to adolescent girls in the district.

Speaking in an interview after the lessons at Ipyana Teachers Development Centre on Saturday, YOACA co-founder Spain Chimaliro said menstruation is one of the contributing factors to school dropout among girls in the district due to stigma. 

He said apart from the lessons, they also distributed menstrual materials to the girls in order to curb stigma and ease economic burden from their parents.

"We have partnered with Fast Network who have given out reusable sanitary pads to the adolescent girls, and we came up with lessons on menstrual health and cervical cancer to impart knowledge on cervical cancer management to the adolescent girls,” said Chimaliro.

He appealed for additional support from other stakeholders, saying his organization would like to extend the lessons and distribution of reusable pads to more adolescent girls in the district.

Primary Education Advisor Robson Kondowe thanked the two organizations for donating the reusable sanitary pads and also for the lessons on health issues, including on sexually transmitted infections and cancer management.