International Boys Day: Foundation donates hygienic kits to students in Delta

This year’s International Boys Day and Menstrual Hygiene Awareness Day has been celebrated in Delta State with the donation of hygienic kits to 300 students in the state.

The gesture which came from a non-profit organisation, the Ruby Awareness Initiative Foundation (RAIF), was part of a one-day students’ forum organised for public and private secondary schools in Asaba to mark the day.

Focused primarily on supporting and grooming the boy-child, the foundation also extended its gesture to the girl-child with the presentation of menstrual packs and antiperspirants to selected schoolgirls.

The boys received body care packs, including hair care products, skin care essentials and towels.

Speaking at the event titled ‘Empowering the next generation for a healthier tomorrow’, which is part of the foundation’s outreach to empower underprivileged children, the founder, Miss Omonigho Oborevwori, shared the journey that led to the birth of the foundation.

She recounted how her experience as a caregiver for children with special needs during her college years in the United Kingdom inspired her to establish an NGO dedicated to uplifting and supporting young boys.

Miss Oborevwori emphasised the foundation’s mission of raising a generation of boys who are seen, heard and supported, boys who are not afraid to feel, learn and lead.

She stressed that change begins with collective effort, encouraging all present to stand with the foundation in its commitment to empowering young lives.

In her remarks, the special guest of honor and wife of the Delta State governor, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, praised the vision behind Ruby Initiative and pledged her support in ensuring its objectives were achieved.

The Delta State first lady, represented by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Ezinne Catherine Onyeme, commended the foundation for recognising the struggles of the modern-day boy-child and taking action to equip them with vital skills and mental health resources.

Deaconess Oborevwori also reaffirmed that her own foundation, You Matter Charity Foundation, will work alongside Ruby Initiative to strengthen efforts towards supporting young boys and girls.

 She urged parents to take responsibility for mentoring and morally uplift their sons, emphasising that empowering the boy-child benefits the entire society.

The event featured a lecture series on mental wellness, puberty, self-care and personal hygiene, and career talk by experts, including Dr. Israel Adaigho, Dr. Onyi Owa-Nwabuzo and Mrs. Veronica Abang-Dove.

Students also showcased spoken-word performances, while a drama presentation highlighting the challenges faced by the boy-child was also displayed.

One of the beneficiaries, Master Dami Atsenuwa, a SS 2 student of the Infant Jesus Academy, Asaba, commended the founder for giving the boy child a voice in the society, just as he expressed appreciation for the hygiene kits given to the students.

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