The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) have entered into a strategic partnership aimed at reducing school absenteeism and improving menstrual hygiene education for young girls in Uganda’s marginalized communities.
This collaboration will also ensure that integrated sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender-based violence (GBV) services are readily accessible and responsive to the needs of young people.
As part of this partnership, DTB will support the Strengthening Adolescents and Youth (SAY) Empowerment and Rights Programme with a contribution of US$ 106,458.
This funding will provide 10,000 vulnerable schoolgirls with essential items including reusable sanitary pads (School Girl Kit) containing five pads (two maxi, two mini, one super maxi), two carrying pouches (including a leak-proof pouch for storing soiled pads), 10,000 pairs of underwear, 10,000 backpacks, and hygiene education booklets available in three languages.
The reusable sanitary towels, supplied by AFRIpads Uganda, have a lifespan of up to two years and are part of a broader effort to advance menstrual health worldwide.
Launched last year by the Danish government in collaboration with UNFPA, the SAY Programme is a four-year initiative running from January 2024 to December 2027 with a budget of DKK 100,000,000 (approximately UGX 55,000,000,000). It aims to enhance access to and utilization of SRHR and SGBV information and services among young people aged 10-24 in refugee settlements and host communities.
The programme employs an evidence-based approach focusing on demand creation, strengthening service delivery, and improving the enabling environment at community and district levels. SAY empowers young people to assert their SRHR rights, prevent SGBV, and increase the availability and accessibility of youth-responsive SRHR/SGBV services.
The DTB/UNFPA partnership will emphasize collaboration on health system transformation to improve the health and well-being of women and girls, scale up health innovations, develop innovative financing models for sustainable interventions, and conduct joint advocacy to raise public awareness. The direct beneficiaries of this partnership are expected to experience reduced school absenteeism during menstrual periods and gain improved knowledge of reproductive health and menstrual hygiene.
“It is a pleasure for DTB and UNFPA to have this partnership as it will benefit our young people in Uganda,” said Gift Malunga, Country Representative of UNFPA. “This partnership underscores the importance of improving the menstrual hygiene situation among vulnerable schoolgirls in Uganda’s marginalized areas.”
The partnership between UNFPA and DTB not only addresses immediate needs but also lays the foundation for sustainable health improvements and gender equality, ultimately contributing to the overall development and empowerment of Uganda’s youth.
“Our sustainability agenda focuses on creating an environment and communities where social development is accessible to all while protecting social resources,” said Ms. Mbabazi Emejeit, DTB’s Executive Director. “Through such partnerships, we intend to reach 10,000 vulnerable girls through our Achieve More Girl initiatives, which aim to keep the girl-child in school as she prepares for social development goals in adulthood.”
“As part of our unwavering commitment to sustainability, this initiative is just one of many under DTB’s comprehensive Sustainability and Citizenship Master Plan. Our strategy is built on six key pillars: Climate Action and Net Zero Strategy, Sustainable Financing, Responsible Supply Chain, Partnerships, Employee Well-being and Development, and Citizenship,” she added. “From our ambitious goal to achieve carbon neutrality in our own operations by 2030, to our continuous efforts in offering green financial products that support a low-carbon economy, DTB is dedicated to creating long-term value for our communities and the environment.”
