Dr Yemi Adeyemi, founder and team lead, Yemi Adeyemi Reprohealth Foundation (YARF), is a 21st-century period activist, who is using her novel menstrual flow game to put an end to period poverty prevalent among young Nigerian girls and ensuring that menstrual products are available for usage to them. In this interview with ADEKUNLE SULAIMON, she speaks on her journey and how she developed passion to help young girls deal with menstrual-related issues and other problems in the female reproductive health.
What’s the essence of your menstrual flow game?
The Flow Game is West Africa’s first board game created to address menstruation stigma and equip its players with all the information about menstrual health. It covers four basic topics: Female reproductive system, Menstrual products, PMS and menstruation disorders, Pregnancy and contraceptives. The game also touches on sexual assault, sexually transmitted infections consent and other issues. The more they play it, the more familiar they get with their health and menstrual circle. It is not started to make profit but to contribute to humanity especially to the well being of the girl-children.
How did you conceive the idea?
The idea started as a discussion with the girls from the club about the myths and misconceptions of menstrual health and then the idea went through phases of revamp and every member of the team who put their excellence into it after which the girls (50 of them) gave their opinions towards the final product.
How does it promote menstrual hygiene?
It deals majorly with menstruation education, teaching all girls what they should know to ensure their menstrual hygiene is top-notch.
How easy have the girls been finding it to play?
It’s been fun, it allows a group of five to play at a time. They learn together and keep moving on the board till a winner is gotten. We are also using the avenue to teach them how to use reusable pads because it is not every time that new menstrual products will be available to them considering the level of period poverty in the country.
How did COVID-19 pandemic affect young girls’ ability to manage their menstruation?
The pandemic affected the distribution of menstrual products, people’s purchasing power of these limited products, access to menstrual hygiene management-related social support. This led some women into using alternative options which could possibly lead to reproductive infections. A lot of people have been identified to be using this option in the country.
Has Nigeria been able to manage menstrual hygiene among the female youths?
According to periodtax.org, Nigeria is one of the countries that has put tax exemption on menstrual products, however with this tax exemption, there is still rising in the prices, poverty and unemployment are still issue affecting the way menstruation is being perceived. Nigeria does not have a sex education embedded in its curriculum because if it does, menstrual health will be a topic to discuss. And that way menstruation education will be top-notch.
However, the awareness and advocacy on menstruation and menstrual hygiene management is improving. All thanks to the Menstrual Hygiene day but there is still so much work to be done. Nigeria is not a menstruation friendly country.
The issues are prices of menstrual products; Many Nigerians live below poverty level and cannot afford products to cover their bleeding days. Menstrual Hygiene Management in schools are extremely poor despite being the pillar of menstrual hygiene management in schools which should include access to clean water, a functional toilet that is menstruation friendly, free menstrual products and a good disposal facility.
Availability of eco-friendly, reusable products; There are a few places to find menstrual cups and reusable pads.
What is your team doing to help young girls keep up a good menstrual hygiene?
The YARF runs the Brave Girls Club where we teach sex education to secondary school girls. This includes a menstruation workshop where the girls are taught the physiology of menstruation, exposed to different menstrual products, taught how to make reusable menstrual pads, the importance of menstrual hygiene and they get to play The Flow Game. We have reached out to over 5000 girls through our menstruation workshop using the flow game to teach them their menstrual circle and products.
Recently, UNICEF has taken it upon itself to teach young girls how to make sanitary pad rather than providing them with it, this really ideal?
Yes it is, giving a disposable sanitary pad to young girls is not sustainable besides it is not an eco friendly option. The emphasis really is on provision of reusable menstrual products so that the girls can use it again.
What are challenges that your team is facing?
The major challenge is funding because it is the vehicle through which we get to lot of girls, getting in touch with the ministry of education and other governmental agencies. Another is getting to teach the girls to play the flow games because they are alien to it.
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