By Agnes Afolabi
Edun Muinat Eniola (EME) Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has sensitised and empowered over 200 students on the use of reusable sanitary pad, to alleviate females from period poverty.
The foundation organised sensitisation programme at Ikeja Grammar School, Oshodi, Lagos, to mark the International Day for Menstrual Hygiene, with the theme: ”Reusable Pads: Means of Ending Period Poverty”.
The Convener, Edun Eniola, said that the programme was designed to enlighten the young girls on the proper ways of managing their menstrual cycle.
Eniola, said that it was to teach the young females how to make use of reusable pads, which were alternative to ultra modern pads.
According to her, the programme becomes imperative in order to equip marginalised younger population and provide them with life skills training to achieve their potentials.
”We understand the issue of poverty that surrounds menstrual cycle. So we are having this sensitisation programme and empowerment.
”With the use of thread and niddle, they can also get used ankara and tailoring materials, all these will go a long way to make reusable pads, hence, addressing period poverty.
”The programme is not just ending in this hall. The students are to go back to their churches and mosques to teach others,” she said.
The convener said that the foundation hoped to partner with government and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) office, to get the message across to the young ones.
She said that the message of menstrual hygiene was also for the parents and to the communities, as they had roles to play in educating the girl child to ensure menstrual hygiene at all time.
The project coordinator, Titilayo Ojulari said that menstruation in ones life cycle was important, as without it, there won’t be procreation.
Ojulari said that there were a lot of women that had no children because of menstrual failure, hence, menstrual cycle was a biological right that the young girls should not be ashamed of.
A resource guest at the event, Aderonke Oyelakin, said that there was the need for girls to take care of their personal hygienes.
Oyelakin urged them to have life skills and core values, as such would help them to achieve the vision they had set for themselves.
He said that boys were also invited to attend the programme, as they had to know that they were male champions and not use their masculinity negatively.
A female student of Ikeja Grammar School, Sunmisola Okeyemi said that she had learnt not to be ashamed of her menstrual cycle.
”I am ready to go out there and teach others what I have learnt here today,” Okeyemi said.
Also, Daniel Faronbi, of same school said that he had learnt how to relate with girls during their menstruation.