Diana Ampaire Kampe, a prominent advocate and aspirant for the National Female Youth MP seat, made a powerful appeal in support of menstrual health and girl-child empowerment during the vibrant “Pad A Girl Run” in Gulu. The event is part of a broader campaign that has also featured earlier runs in Arua and West Nile.
Known for her tireless advocacy, Ampaire has previously taken part in runs across Northern Uganda to raise awareness and mobilize community support .
During the rally, she issued an impassioned plea to government agencies, NGOs, and local enterprises to break the silence around menstruation and ensure accessible, affordable sanitary hygiene for all schoolgirls. “When girls don’t have pads, they miss school—not because they want to, but because they’re forced to,” she emphasized to a cheering crowd.
The event blended energy with advocacy—participants wore colourful t-shirts, bore banners reading “Empower Her Flow,” and cheered as Ampaire crossed the finish line. She highlighted the success of similar campaigns, such as in Arua, where pad distribution and stigma-reduction workshops have already lowered absenteeism and boosted girls’ morale.
In her closing remarks, Ampaire committed to championing policy reforms to include menstrual hygiene in school curriculums, erection of sustainable disposal facilities, and establishment of pad-making vocational training aligned with economic empowerment.
