By Stella Odueme
As part of efforts to end shaming girls experience during their monthly menstrual cycle, a Civil society Organization (CSO), Ray of Hope Empowerment Foundation in partnerships with Aids Healthcare Foundation distributed sanitary pads to girls in Abuja.
They donated pads to girls in Maitama Model Secondary school at the weekend.
The distribution exercise tagged “stop the red spot & pad a girl which took place at the weekend was also to commemorate the 2023 Menstrual Hygiene Day, with the theme: ‘making menstration a normal fact of life by 2023’.
According to the National Coordinator of the CSO, Christybelle Sylva-John the programme was to enlighten students on the benefits and importance of menstrual period for the girl child and to make sanitary pads available for secondary school girls.
“Menstruation should not be something girls should be shy to talk about.
We donated over 400 packs of sanitary pads to the girls and also left some with the school authority.
We are using this medium to call on the government, individuals and corporate bodies to help build toilets and pad banks in schools and communities.
Together we can do more,’ she enjoned.
One of the resource persons, the Director, Advocacy, Policy & Marketing Africa, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, kemi Gbadamosi- Braimah who noted that menstration is good, biological and natural fact of life urged the students to collectively work together to end period shaming and stigma in the school, home and community.
She noted that over two millions girls who missed school because of period shaming end up being violated even as she made the students both boys and girls commit to ending period shaming.
“Be champions for menstrual health by saying I commit today to end period shaming in my school, home and community. It is about keeping yourself healthy and not harm your reproductive life. Tissues and clothes are not healthy.
“School should have wash facilities where girls can change and wash up. This will make girls comfortable to learn, so tell your parents, government officials who come around your school that you need these facilities,” she stated.
Gbadamosi-Braimah who lamented that menstruation can be a barrier to education for many girls, as lack of effective sanitary products restricts their involvement in educational and social activities, taught on how the students can take good care themselves during their menstrual period both in the school and at home.
She also charged them to learn how to make sanitary pads and make money for themselves.
Another speaker, Chinwe Aganekwu of Esther Thefid Foundation stressed the importance of proper management of menstrual cycle to prevent blockage of the fallopian tubes.
‘There is a serious call out for people to stop using tampons. They are beginning to associate a lot of cervical cancer to tampons’ use.
‘Girls can make their own reusable pad. If you are using recycled ones, the chances are it may get contaminated so there is need to parboil it to kill germs,” she said.
