By Ishmael Junourgh 
Foundation tackles education, menstrual health and welfare barriers as students transition to SHS
For many children in Jirapa, getting into Senior High School is only the beginning of the struggle. The cost of staying in school—including food, learning materials, personal hygiene and basic healthcare needs—can place an additional burden on already vulnerable families.
It is against this backdrop that the Anwelle Foundation has stepped up support for students completing a free Pre-SHS programme, donating sanitary pads, food, personal-care items and learning materials to help beneficiaries make the transition into Senior High School.
The intervention was made during a send-off ceremony for students and their parents at the old JISEC campus in Jirapa, following the successful completion of the free Pre-SHS programme organised by Wulisong and financed by the Anwelle Foundation.
The support package is aimed at addressing some of the practical barriers that can undermine children’s ability to remain in school, with the Foundation placing particular emphasis on the welfare and dignity of female students.
Each beneficiary received a bowl of gari, toothpaste, a toothbrush and exercise books to support their nutritional, personal-care and educational needs.
Female beneficiaries were additionally given packs of sanitary pads—an intervention targeting menstrual health and hygiene at a time when lack of access to menstrual products can make school attendance and participation difficult for some girls.
The Foundation’s intervention highlights a wider reality in education: a child’s ability to learn is closely connected to access to food, healthcare, hygiene and other basic necessities.
Education beyond the classroom
While discussions about education often focus on classrooms, teachers and academic performance, the experience of vulnerable students demonstrates that socioeconomic and health-related challenges can also determine whether a child remains in school.
For girls, menstrual hygiene is particularly important. Access to sanitary products can help them manage their periods with greater dignity and confidence while reducing one potential barrier to regular participation in school.
The Anwelle Foundation’s approach therefore links education with health, dignity, child welfare and equal opportunity, rather than treating academic support in isolation.
The Foundation also treated the students and their parents to a buffet to celebrate the completion of the programme.
Nine students who distinguished themselves during the Pre-SHS classes were awarded cash prizes for outstanding performance, punctuality, discipline and commitment.
The ceremony was chaired by retired educationist Mr. Alfred Bosoro, who urged the students to take their education seriously and make their parents proud as they prepare to begin Senior High School.
The event was attended by Mr. Nuah Maxwell, Head of Communications at the Anwelle Foundation; Mr. Ametus Banye, an education facilitator for the Foundation; Mr. Godfred Dassah, Deputy In-Charge of the Rehabilitation Unit at St. Joseph Hospital; and Mr. Michael Darkorah, Coordinator for Wulisong.
A long-term education commitment
The Anwelle Foundation says its commitment to making education a priority in Jirapa remains firm.
Its efforts are focused not only on helping students access educational opportunities but also on encouraging them to develop a sustained interest in schooling and overcome some of the welfare challenges that can stand between them and their education.
As the beneficiaries prepare to enter Senior High School, the intervention sends a broader message: keeping children in school requires addressing the realities they face outside the classroom. For vulnerable students, education, health, nutrition, hygiene and dignity are not separate issues—they are interconnected conditions that can determine whether a child gets the opportunity to complete their education and build a better future.
Mudasiru Techi Dari