AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), in partnership with Keffi Local Government Nasarawa State, has sensitised secondary school students in Keffi to end shame and stigma on menstruation in a bid to celebrate 2023 World Menstrual Hygiene Day.
AHF also instituted a sanitary pad bank in collaboration with Keffi LG, Keffi Primary Healthcare Agency and Keffi Ministry of Women Affairs, to ensure the availability of sanitary pads for girls.
Menstrual Hygiene Day is celebrated annually on May 28, with the 2023 global theme: `End The Stigma on Periods’.
The annual MH Day is to highlight the importance of menstrual care and raises awareness about issues faced by women and girls who do not have access to clean water and sanitary products.
Speaking at the event, the Medical Director of AHF Nigeria, Dr Emma Nwabueze explained that the Foundation was creating awareness, to end the stigma around menstruation while ensuring young women and girls have access to menstrual pads.
Nwabueze also said that the process of menstruation had caused many girls to stay out of school due to financial inability to purchase pads, misconceptions and myths around menstruation, hence the need to create awareness.
He said: “We used this opportunity to come to Keffi to educate the women, girl child, male child and everybody on issues surrounding menstrual stigma.
“Some of our girls miss school because they are on their menstrual period, some do not go to school because their parents do not have money to buy the products.”
“Some of our girls cannot open up and tell their parents about what is happening to their body, that is why we are here to advocate and tell people that menstruation is clean, not dirty, he said.”
He affirmed that the sanitary pad bank by AHF in collaboration with its partners was to ensure continuous availability of pads in facilities for girls in school and out of school during emergency situations.
Also, the Executive Chairman of Keffi LG, Muhammed Baba-Shehu represented by the Secretary of Keffi LG Mr Muhammed Adamu, applauded the Foundation for choosing Keffi LG as one of its beneficiaries for the program.
He said it is a thing of joy to see that we are the direct beneficiaries of this program. AHF has done marvellously well in such a silent area that affects our women and girls.
He, however, said on the side of the local government, they intend to collaborate with the Foundation and they are giving the assurance that they will do their best to contribute to the pad bank.
“We will also see how we can train our people to produce the sanitary pads to benefit our women and girls”, he said.
Baba-Shehu further urged parents, teachers and guidance to support their children to end shame and discrimination when menstruating and ensure they maintain good hygiene.
The Supervisory Counsellor, Women Affairs Keffi LG, Mrs Aisha Basha noted that the Ministry was saddled with the responsibility of educating young women and girls on menstrual health and management.
Basha said the sensitisation was aimed at breaking the silence on stigma and shame as it affects menstruation.
“This is important because we realise that most of our children are shy especially when they are growing into the reproductive stage.
“They do not want to discuss any issue concerning menstruation or any changes in their body with their parents, as they prefer to hide and deal with the situation themselves,’ she said.
She further noted that the Ministry educates the children to have confidence and maintain personal hygiene during menstruation such as bathing regularly, changing their pads and disposing of them properly.
One of the participants and students of ECWA Government Junior Secondary School Keffi, Gift Ibe expressed her appreciation to the organisations for the enlightenment programme.
“I learnt that when am seeing my period, I should keep my body clean, take my bath and change my pad regularly.”
“I also learnt not to be ashamed when am menstruating and to speak to my parents or teachers in school when I experience any problem or when I am in pain,’ Ibe added.
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