UNFPA Ghana presents hygiene kits and food packs to Hope for Future Generations

Hope for Future Generations (HFFG) has taken delivery of packs of hygiene kits and emergency food supplies from the Ghana office of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA Ghana), for onward distribution to marginalised young people, especially those living with HIV across Ghana.

The support items were presented to HFFG at a brief ceremony in Accra on Thursday, June 25, 2020, by the Deputy Country Representative of UNFPA Ghana, Agnes Ntibanyurwa.

In a short speech, she disclosed that the items presented are in line with UNFPA’s mandate to Leave No One Behind particularly in times of pandemics such as COVID-19.

Receiving the package, the Executive Director of HFFG, Ms. Cecilia Senoo thanked and commended UNFPA Ghana for supporting young people living with HIV, especially in the era of COVID-19.

Ms. Cecilia Senoo said HFFG as an implementing partner of UNFPA Ghana has over the years been empowering and providing psychosocial support to young people living with HIV across Ghana.

She assured that the kits will go a long way to bring smiles on the faces of the young people.

She said that: “HFFG with the support of UNFPA Ghana has provided Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) education to about 120 young persons living with HIV in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Northern regions and we are still mobilising. This gesture will, therefore, go a long way to support them during this period where many families are facing socio-economic challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The items were made up of two hundred hygiene kits for boys, five hundred food-packs and five hundred kits for girls which included sanitary pads. Ms, Adjoa Yenyi, National Programme Analyst, Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health at UNFPA Ghana, noted that: “We realised that young people living with HIV turn to be marginalised in communities we work, hence the need for UNFPA to support them with basic needs to keep their dignity intact.”

She said based on research, it was identified that food is one of the reasons young people living with HIV default in taking their medications so judging by the impact COVID is having on a lot of economies, it was ideal that young people are supported and be able to keep their dignity intact.

For the past 19 years, Hope for Future Generations has been at the forefront empowering women, children and young people to reach their full potentials. The presentation, therefore, comes at a great time when HFFG is promoting menstrual hygiene among all girls as part of its 20th Anniversary.

The Menstrual Hygiene Intervention dubbed “Pads for Girls Everywhere” seeks to mobilise 3 Million sanitary pads to support over 1 Million girls from June 2020-2021 and beyond.

“HFFG believes every Girl deserves to menstruate with dignity. The ‘Pads for Girls Everywhere’ intervention, therefore, seeks to break the silence and change the negative social norms around menstruation and engage decision-makers, traditional leaders and opinion leaders to increase the political priority for menstrual hygiene at all levels,” says the Executive Director of HFFG, Cecilia Senoo.

She called on all individuals, institutions and organizations to partner HFFG in the “Pads for Girls Everywhere” intervention.