International Hygiene Day: NGO distributes free pads to 5,000 girls in Anambra
Creative Ladies Global Resources, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) on Friday organised a one-day symposium to raise awareness of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls and promising 5,000 free sanitary pads.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event which was part of the activities marking International Menstrual Hygiene Day (IMHD) in Anambra had no fewer than 200 secondary school girls in attendance.
The theme for 2021 IMHD year is ‘Action and Investment in Menstrual Hygiene and Health.
Mrs Maureen Okolieukwu, Convener of the programme, said the NGO was concerned about poor menstrual hygiene among girls which was largely due to lack of information.
Okolieukwu said Creative Ladies Global Resources would also distribute modern reusable sanitary pads to no fewer than 5,000 young girls in the next three months.
She said menstrual hygiene was not supposed to be a burden to the girl child as development had shown that they could sew their pads with the right materials and wash them after use.
”We discovered that these children don’t know much about hygiene during menstruation. So this gender-based gathering is to teach young girls issues of menstrual hygiene.
“We also discovered that over 70 per cent of girls in secondary schools cannot afford the cost of pads. Beyond the distribution of pads, we are also teaching them how to make reusable pads.
“The training is to grow a generation of hygiene champions who will go back to their schools and teach their mates how to take care of themselves.
“We are partnering 150 schools but just about 45 schools sent in their representatives,” she said.
Okolieukwu said the pads were donated by partners of the organisation including Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, the wife of Anambra governor as well as Sen. Uche Ekwunife and Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah among other partners.
In her remark, Mrs Ngozi Ubah, said girls should not be threatened or feel inferior because they menstruate.
Ubah said menstruation was a proof of womanhood which they should be proud of but urged them to ensure they indulged in best hygiene practices.(NAN)
