AS part of the activities marking the year 2022 International Day of the Girl Child, a non-governmental organisation, Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, distributed reusable and washable sanitary pads to vulnerable girls in Ikotun, Igando-Ikotun LCDA of Alimosho LGA.
According to media reports, the girls who live in the Hausa community in the area were also sensitised on menstrual hygiene and safety measures in schools.
According to the Executive Director of WRAHP, Bose Ironsi, her organisation decided to celebrate the day with the distribution of sanitary towels because they discovered that young girls in the community prefer to use clothes instead of disposable pads which are not clean.
She said: “For this year we decided to educate children between the ages of 10 and 20 on their hygiene. We realize that menstruation stops some of them from going to school which shouldn’t be so. For girls to be able to become what they want to become, they must go to school so we have given them reusable pads that can last them for one year.”
She noted that to also celebrate the day her organisation has also launched a leadership programme for girls and boys around the Alimosho area of Lagos.
“We need to build their capacity so that they can become leaders in the future,” she said.
Speaking at the event, Abubakar Bello, Personal Assistant to the community leader, Nuhu Alhassan, lauded the organisation’s effort, saying it was a good thing that his community was picked for the initiative.
“Many of these girls don’t know how to take care of themselves when they are menstruating and don’t care about menstrual hygiene but today they have learnt a lot. The world has changed and things are getting worse so young girls must be advised on how best to live their life to avoid mistakes which you have done today,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Bello Safiat, in an interview said that she was excited to be a part of the girls who benefitted from the programme.
“In my community, many of the girls don’t like to use disposable sanitary pads because it causes rashes and also because it is expensive so they use clothes but with this, we will be able to use pads for one year,” she said.
She also noted that the girls learnt how to keep clean and healthy during their menstrual circle.
