Six thousand (6,000) school girls from 31 schools in the Western Area Rural District have received Free Sanitary Pads from Her Excellency the First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio at Bassa Town Field, Waterloo.
First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio said this was the first time the Western Area Rural District is benefiting from the Free Sanitary Pads distribution, which is why they are receiving a whooping 6,000 pads.
She said the essence of the distribution is to give equal opportunities to school girls who will be deprived of going to school due to menstruation challenges, while assuring the pupils that the sanitary pads are safe, certified, and of high quality that meet international standards.
Dr. Fatima Maada Bio said: “The pads are given to all school girls irrespective of their family, political, tribal, regional or religious affiliations. You are all Sierra Leoneans and you deserve equal treatment and opportunities. I was surprised to learn that the enrollment rate in the Western Area Rural has increased due to the introduction of Free Quality Education by President Dr. Julius Maada Bio”.
Dr. Bio described the school girls as special and encouraged them to use the pads for its intended purpose. She used the forum as an opportunity to appeal to the pupils to focus on their education and leave politics for the politicians.
“I am not here to talk politics nor to campaign, but to give you that which you deserve as school girls. I don’t care which political party you or your parents belong; all I care about is to ensure that you focus on your education and stay in school always, ” she said.
Deputy Director of Education, Western Rural District, Nana Bockarie appreciated the first lady and her team for considering their district for the distribution of free sanitary pads this year.
She said they can now boast of having more than one thousand schools in the region due to the introduction of free quality education by the President Bio.
She assured the first lady of their continued support in changing the lives of school girls.
Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr. Eldred Tunde Taylor who doubled as the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) District Chairman East Rural said what is happening in their region is a testament to the success of the free quality education program over the years.
He appreciated the First Lady and the President for undertaking such a laudable venture by providing sanitary pads for girls in schools.
This, he said, will help retain more girls in school and give them equal opportunities to compete with the boys academically.
