Country Director of CCFC, Ghana, Mrs. Sanatu Nantogma and Sponsored Child - Receiving her hygiene kit.

In approximately 20 communities, over 425 school girls between the ages of 13 and 20 each received a hygiene kit from Christian Children's Fund of Canada (CCFC).

The aim of the hygiene kit project is to increase personal hygiene among teenage girls in primary and junior and senior high schools, and to increase the knowledge and awareness of proper sanitation practices within CCFC's operational areas. Working together with five of its partner organizations, CCFC ensured each girl received cakes of soap, a tooth brush, tooth paste, a nail clipper, a shaving stick, razor blades, sanitary pads and Dettol (disinfectant). The total cost of providing and distributing the hygiene kits was approximately $5,000.00 CDN.

When she met with the girls, CCFC Country Director for Ghana, Sanatu Nantogma, advised them on how to improve their health and hygiene, as well as how to keep their personal surroundings clean. Nantogma also educated them on good community sanitation practices and the prevention of teenage pregnancy and HIV/AIDS.

After receiving her hygiene kit, 19 year old Abdulai Fawzia disclosed that she was delighted to receive the kit. She also thanked CCFC for the education sessions on personal hygiene. Fawzia said that before these sessions she had limited knowledge of personal hygiene and engaged in unsafe practices - such as sharing nail clippers with friends. She also revealed that due to her poor personal hygiene, she had low self confidence and this affected her academic performance.

Long term, CCFC hopes the project will help the girls improve their personal hygiene – and subsequently their self confidence, motivate them to continue to improve their personal hygiene, encourage them to teach their peers and siblings about safe and hygienic sanitation practices and improve female participation in community activities.