The Ghana Chamber of Mines, in partnership with Zijin Golden Ridge Limited, has donated an estimated eight-month supply of sanitary towels to 1,036 school girls from 16 basic and senior high schools in the company’s host communities at New Abirem under the Chamber’s annual Purple Peach Project.
The initiative seeks to improve menstrual health management, reduce school absenteeism and ensure that menstruation does not become a barrier to girls’ education.
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Addressing the beneficiaries, the Chief Operating Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ahmed Dasana Nantogmah, explained that the Purple Peach Project was conceived after the Chamber observed that many girls in underserved communities were missing classes during their menstrual periods because they could not afford sanitary products.
He noted that the initiative was established to remove this barrier by providing menstrual hygiene products alongside education on menstrual health.
The Chamber recognised that something as natural as menstruation should never prevent a girl from achieving her dreams. Through the Purple Peach Project, we have committed ourselves to supporting girls every year so they can remain in school with dignity and confidence,” he said.
Nantogmah explained that the programme is implemented on a rotational basis across the host communities of member companies of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, ensuring that girls in different mining communities benefit each year. Previous editions have been held in Accra and the Volta Region, while this year’s project was hosted in the Eastern Region through the support of Zijin Golden Ridge Limited.
In addition to the donation, beneficiaries participated in a comprehensive menstrual hygiene education session led by health professionals, who provided guidance on menstrual health management, personal hygiene and reproductive health. Organisers said the educational component is designed to dispel myths and stigma surrounding menstruation while equipping girls with the knowledge and confidence to manage their periods safely and hygienically.
To ensure the sustainability of the intervention, Zijin Golden Ridge Limited announced that it will organise periodic menstrual hygiene education programmes in the participating schools to reinforce healthy practices and provide continuous support to the girls.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, described the initiative as an investment in the dignity, confidence and future of young girls rather than simply a charitable donation.
He observed that many girls across Ghana continue to miss school because they lack access to menstrual hygiene products and stressed that no child should have to choose between managing her health and pursuing her education.
Dr. Ashigbey noted that the Purple Peach Project reflects the mining industry’s commitment to responsible and sustainable development, highlighting the significant investments made by member companies in education, healthcare, water and sanitation, infrastructure, skills development and economic empowerment within their host communities.
He further stated that the initiative contributes directly to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) by promoting menstrual health, reducing school absenteeism and advancing menstrual dignity.
Dr. Ashigbey encouraged the beneficiaries to remain focused on their education, believe in their abilities and seize every opportunity available to them, emphasising that education remains the surest pathway to transforming lives and communities.
In his welcome remarks, the management of Zijin Golden Ridge Limited reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improving the wellbeing of girls in its host communities, noting that sustainable community development extends beyond infrastructure to safeguarding the dignity, health and confidence of young people.
The company described its partnership with the Ghana Chamber of Mines on the Purple Peach Project as part of its broader commitment to responsible mining and sustainable community development.
The sanitary towels distributed under this year’s Purple Peach Project are expected to last each beneficiary for approximately eight months, providing sustained support that will help ensure that period poverty does not interrupt the girls’ education throughout the academic year.
