Uganda's aviation community rallies behind menstrual health initiative

The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) and the Uganda Aeronautical Information Service Officers Association (UGAISOA) have joined forces to support menstrual health education and provide sanitary pads to girls in Namayingo and Budondo, Jinja District.

This initiative was sparked by a heartbreaking story of girls using soil and polythene bags to make sanitary pads, highlighted in a local media story in February 2024.

"We saw a story in the media about girls from Budondo using soil and polythene bags to make sanitary pads, which was appalling," said Moses Obbi, UGAISOA President, during the prize-giving ceremony of the Aviation Run held at the Mayor's Garden in Entebbe on Sunday, October 20, 2024. "We visited the community and discovered they needed empowerment to make their own pads."

The 2024 Aviation Run aimed to raise funds for this initiative, which involves setting up production facilities at Namayingo Primary School and another location in Budondo, where girls will be trained to make and sell sanitary pads.

"When we went there to do the survey, we found many donations of pads that easily expire. We want to help the community with a sustainable project, so that they do not rely on one-off donations, but have something that they own as a community with frequent supervision from UGAISOA," Obbi added.

UCAA Director General Fred Bamwesigye flagged off the runners and commended stakeholders, including DHL, Clarkson, Menzies Aviation, China Communication Construction Company, Kajjansi Executive Aviation, Uganda Wildlife Authority, National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Uganda Aviation School, DAS Aviation School, YALI, Uganda Air Cargo, Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, and Entebbe Municipal Council, among others.

"This is the third edition of the Aviation Run and besides the proceeds generated going towards supporting a sustainable health initiative, the event is also one of Uganda's activities to celebrate 80 years of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)," Bamwesigye said.

The top three ladies and men in the 5 and 10 kilometer categories were awarded with medals and cash prizes.

"Whether you are a winner or not, you are all champions. In the long run, your investment in health runs of this nature gives you rich returns in terms of health and well-being," Bamwesigye added.

DHL Country Manager Joseph Odole expressed his company's commitment to the cause. "We believe in the same cause and have come to stay as a partner and will continue contributing to the causes because we believe in our community and environment and want to support the country."