Pulse.ng : NGO distributes menstrual pads to 200 school girls in Kaduna, harps on personal hygiene

By Sani Idris

A Non Gvernmental Organization, Centre for Water and Environmental Development (CWED), has distributed menstrual pads to no fewer than 200 school girls in Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) Kujama, while harping on importance of personal hygiene.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the gesture, was in commemoration of the 2024 World Menstrual Hygiene Day.

The theme for the years’ event is "Together for a period friendly world".

Speaking to the students at the event, the Program Officer of CWED, Mrs Lydia Saleh, harped on the importance of menstrual hygiene management in schools.

In her presentation, she stated that girls typically start to menstruate between the ages of 9 and 18 years, adding that it usually occurs monthly for a period of 2 to 7 days depending on a person’s flow.

She also stressed on the importance of girls knowing how to manage their periods with dignity and without discomfort or fear, noting that it is something they should all be proud of.

She equally said the students needed not to miss school because they were on their period.

Speaking on the requirements and limitations that girls face during their periods, she lamented on the lack of access to accurate and pragmatic information, access to menstrual hygiene materials, access to facilities that provide privacy, access to water and soap, and access to disposal facilities for used menstrual materials.

Speaking further, Saleh explained that menstrual hygiene is an integrated approach and liked it to a 3- cooking stove by breaking the silence.

She explained that people should be free to talk about menstruation, and parents should also begin to talk to their children about it.

“Safe hygienic menstruation and safe disposal of used materials is critical. It is imperative to always put all three into practice”

On the importance of menstruation and why it matters, she noted that many girls do not know about it, especially when they have their first periods.

“Every girl must be prepared emotionally, physically, and in a supportive environment.

“They need social support because all girls and women are not the same in terms of age, religion, culture, differently-abled, and household context.

“There should be openess about menstruation because it is not a secret, and lack of openness leads to misinformation, stigma, fear, and exclusion,”she said.

Saleh therefore, recommended for the provision of proper disposal of the used menstrual material in schools and a policy where the government should provided free menstrual hygiene materials.

She also recommended that teachers should be more open and talk about menstruation during assemblies and social events, where parents should also have a close relationship with their children so that they can freely open up.

Also, Mrs. Florence Manshop, WASH Coordinator, Chikun Local Government Area, described the program as interesting.

She thanked CWED for marking the Menstrual Hygiene Day in the school, stating that the pupils are now more informed on menstrual hygiene.

Speaking on the importance of the event, Manshop said it was critical to informing the girl-child to know how to manage herself well.

She said the students were initially shy but later opened up when they realized it was not a secret.

“The pupils learned how to sew local reusable pads, use soft materials, and keep them clean,”she said.

She however, lamented on the challenges WASH face in the Local Government in terms of reaching out to other communities with menstrual hygiene materials.

Also speaking at the event, Mrs Maureen Oyedoja, the Environmental Safeguard Officer for the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project in Kaduna, harped on the importance of empowering students and building new infrastructures with a focus mainly on the girl child.

She noted that AGILE’s major activities were geared towards adolescent girls between the ages of 10 and 18.

Oyedoja added that every child needed the knowledge of menstrual hygiene in order to prevent diseases from entering their bodies, and how to clean themselves up properly, and how they can care for themselves during their periods.

She noted that it is something that must happen every month, rherefore, every child needed to learn about menstrual hygiene.

According to her, it is not a curse or a taboo but a process which means the child is growing.

Earlier in a welcome address, Principal of the GGSS Kujama, Mrs Naomi Isaac Laah, thanked CWED for choosing their school for the event.

She said the knowledge gained by the school girls would go along way in ensuring that menstrual and environmental hygiene is held with high esteem for their selves benefit of good health.

The principal restated the school’s committment to hygiene, while pledging to sustain menstrual hygiene education to its students.

NAN reports that during the session, the program officer of CWED, displayed different types of pads for the students to see, which included reusable pads, disposable pads and tampons.

The session, which was interactive, had the students spoke about how they take care of themselves during their periods, NAN reports. (NAN)