A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Abasi People foundation, on Thursday distributed sanitary pads to over 900 girls in both Cross River and Akwa Ibom States.
The founder of the NGO, Mrs. Udeme Okop, while distributing the sanitary pads to the girls said it was aimed at supporting the girl child in keeping the body clean.
Blueprint reports that the sanitary pads were distributed to female students of Government Secondary School, Odukpani in Cross River State, and female inmates at Correctional Service in Akwa Ibom State.
Okop said the project was necessary to end period poverty while promoting girl-child emancipation at levels.
She said that the government’s policy was needed to promote girl-child menstrual hygiene so as to keep them in school.
“It is safe to say that majority of the girls in rural areas in the country cannot afford safe and hygienic-sanitary pads for proper menstrual hygiene management,” she said.
Okop lamented that the major issue with period hygiene was that sanitary pads are not only expensive; especially with the current economic state of the country, but also cannot be reused.
She urged the students to try as much as they can to maintain good hygiene to avoid contracting diseases from unhygienic practices.
Also speaking, the United States Partner of the NGO, Mrs. Itanwan James, said partners in the project were in many parts of the world working for the improved health and quality education for the girl child.
James hinted that the project was not only targeting girl-child but also will encompass boy-child.
“The campaign as a grassroots initiative is aimed at ending period poverty. We do this through raising awareness and advocacy.
“We are not only focusing on girl-child, but we also have other projects targeting the boy-child and it is going to be unveiled soon,” she added.
Responding, the Principal of Government Secondary School, Dr. Okey Patricia, expressed gratitude to the Foundation for extending the act of kindness to the students.
Speaking on behalf of the students, Miss Patricia Patrick, also thanked the Foundation for coming to support the female students of the institution.
She said the support will help to cut the cost of buying sanitary pads and also enable them to participate fully in school.
Moreover, the inmates at the Correctional Service unanimously thanked the Foundation for visiting them and distributing sanitary pads to them to enable them to maintain hygiene.
