NGO calls for provision of WASH facilities in schools, trains 300 girls on menstrual hygiene #PATH

Dr Kelechi Okoro and group of happy girls with free sanitary pads 

A Non Governmental Organization (NGO), Heal For Africa Initiative, has

urged government and other stakeholders to provide WASH (water, sanitation

and hygiene) facilities in public schools across the country.

Dr Kelechi Okoro, the Founder of the NGO, told newsmen at Al-Ansar

Secondary School in Lokoja on Wednesday, that the call was part of

activities to mark 2018 Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD), celebrated annually

on May 28.

According to her, universal, affordable and sustainable access to WASH is

a key public health issue within international development and is the

focus of Sustainable Development Goal 6.

She said that the WASH facilities in schools would enable girl child to

stay comfortably well in school during their menstrual period, saying "a

girl must not miss school because of her menstrual period.’’

The NGO also trained and empowered over 300 schoolgirls in Kogi on safe

and healthy menstrual hygiene, and gave them free sanitary pads and

personal hygiene products.

"This program is the official launch of Pay Attention To Her (PATH)

project, aimed at promoting good menstrual hygiene and educating the

public that menstruation is everybody's business, and not just for female

alone.

"We are here to educate and empower over 300 schoolgirls on good menstrual

hygiene and give them free sanitary pads and hygiene products.

"We will also train the girls on how to make reusable pads from local

materials, and teach them how to dispose the used pads.

"We need to let our girls know that whatever sanitary method they use

while menstruating, must be hygienic, and that they should not feel

ashamed during their Period," Okoro said.

She also recommended that the Ministry of Agriculture to look into

production of reusable biodegradable eco sanitary pads made from

agricultural materials, saying it would be more hygienic, safer and

affordable than the disposable ones.

"This sensitization and training is going to be a continuous program that

will cover all schools in Kogi, Nigeria and Africa. We are positive that

the PATH project is going to be a huge success.

"Period is a thing of pride, you don't have to be ashamed of it, it is

everybody's business. We need everybody to show support for it, because it

is important to health and nation building.

"We are talking about empowering a girl child through personal hygiene; it

is not just about health but also about social development.

"We thank our partners from across Nigeria and beyond who had donated

passionately through internet to support this initiative; we call for more

support to reach out to more girl child.

The medical doctor, however advised Nigerians to shun archaic and

religious beliefs that made women to feel they were unclean and unworthy

when menstruating.

“Menstruation should not be something hidden or to be ashamed of, instead,

the girls should be empowered with enough information and means to make

their menstrual periods more hygienic and comfortable for them,” Okoro

said.

In her remarks, Dr Folashade Ayoade, the Secretary to Kogi State

Government (SSG), advised the schoolgirls to take care, take charge and

practice all they have been taught during the training and study hard.

"Don't allow any man or boy to buy you over with an Android phone or

recharge card, study hard to be empowered, you must study harder to have

the highest Degree in your academic.

"I feel so excited and proud of the initiator of this program because it

is something that is worthy of teaching that our children need to know

about," she said.

Mrs Petra Onyegbule, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the NGO,

said: "girl child are part of the society, they are a vocal group for the

Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development,

Onyegbule, who is also the Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Yahaya Bello,

advised the girls to know the purpose of their existence, and never allow

anybody to put them down, stressing that they were unique and peculiar.

"We are all human beings and should not be ashamed when we made mistakes,

there's no shame in getting stained sometimes as a girl child during

menstrual period.

"We must demystify menstrual period because 'period is period, Period'.

"Empowerment is not all about giving out money, it is about educating,

sensitizing, and enlightening a girl child to grow up and become an

important personality in life.

"Empower a girl child to be well informed, bold, educated so as to become

important personality in life," she said.

Dr Ahmed Attah, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Matters,

urged the girls to take the rare opportunity and utilize them, saying the

should be courageous and hardworking in order to be successful in the

society.

"The idea of giving this information on hygienic component of menstruation

is laudable, and I think it is a thing they should hold on to and work

with throughout their life and career," Attah said.

One of the girls, Aishat Mohammed, said she was delighted about the

empowerment program for the girl child, saying it has really broadened her

knowledge about menstrual hygiene.

"A very big thank you to the convener of the training. For being part of

this program today, I can boast that I now know more things about

menstruation," Aishat said.

Another girl, Mercy Sunday, said that the program was very interesting,

saying "it has enlightened me to know who I am and how to maintain a good

menstrual and personal hygiene, and develop my potentials as woman."

The items distributed includes: Stationary, soaps and detergents,

antiseptics, deodorants, tissue paper, sanitary pads, sucks, provisions,

drinks, among others.

By Stephen Adeleye

Lokoja, May 31, 2018

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Balogun Fausiat (C) Founder Healthcommunicators Media content provider, Trainer & consultant, Communication4Development, Social Media Influencer

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