01/11/2023
*Result Over Validation*
Today, Tuesday 31st of October 2023 marks the completion of the first phase of the Pad up an Upper Girl Initiative. I am grateful to God and to all who have supported our work these past few months.
Ladies and gentlemen, I wish to announce the conclusion of this phase of the Pad Up an Upper Girl Initiative.
Through this initiative, we have made our modest contributions towards ending period poverty in Nigeria.
My resolve to start this initiative was heightened by the challenges I faced as a student in Upper Sakponba, Ikpoba- Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. Top among these challenges was the rate of period poverty among girls in the community which led to poor menstrual hygiene for the female gender who resorted to using towels and pieces of old wrappers for menstrual care. Coming back to my community, I still see young girls experiencing this same challenge we faced during our time. Moved by their plight, I started the Pad Up an Upper Girl Initiative.
We had the opportunity to provide sanitary pads and menstrual awareness to 500 young girls across five secondary schools as follows - Niger College Senior School, Oka Senior Secondary School, Idogbo Senior Secondary School, Isno Education Center, and Umelu Senior Secondary School in Upper Sakponba, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria.
Providing these young girls with sanitary pads will stop them from playing truant and being absent from school during their menstruation, thereby increasing class attendance of girls and reducing sexually transmitted infections and bacterial vaginosis.
Promoting menstrual hygiene and providing access to adequate menstrual products is not only a matter of public health and human rights but also a key factor in achieving gender equality. When girls are empowered to manage their menstrual hygiene safely and with dignity, they can participate fully in society. They can pursue their education and career goals and contribute to their communities and economies.
We are indebted to you our most esteemed sponsors, the Board Secretary, SSEB, School Principals, and our volunteers for supporting us and providing us with a platform to make a change.
We say a very big thank you for your assistance.
