Menstrual Hygiene: IGRHD Distributes Sanitary Towels To Over 500 Students

-Marks 9th Anniversary With Presentation Of Scholarship To Students

A non governmental organization, Initiative For Girl’s Rights and Health Development (IGRHD), has distributed sanitary towels to over 500 students in four southwest states of the federation.

CityMirrorNews reports that the states where the sanitary towels were distributed to female adolescents are; Osun, Lagos, Ondo, and Oyo states.

Also, IGRHD distributed writing materials, school bags and educational scholarships to the beneficiaries.

Explaining the rationale behind the gesture, the Executive Director of IGRHD, Ayodeji Awodoyin, during an awareness talk on mensural hygiene said future healthy sexual and reproductive lifestyle should begin from menstrual hygiene.

Awodoyin further explained that campaign and donation of Sanitary towels was done in commemoration of 2024 Menstrual Hygiene Day, just as she said the scholarship was offered to celebrate the 9th anniversary of the organisation.

She harped on the importance to raise more awareness on sexual education, menstrual hygiene and healthy reproductive lifestyle among young girls.

According to her, with the high rate of preventable diseases faced by young girls, it is necessary to bring more awareness on the need for menstrual hygiene and other healthy lifestyles.

“In commemoration of Menstrual Hygiene Day 2024, Initiative For Girl’s Rights and Health Development-IGRHD successfully engaged over 500 female adolescents across four states in south western Nigeria, providing them with essential resources and education to
promote menstrual health and well-being.

“The She Must Know Project, led by IGRHD, aims to debunk myths surrounding reproductive health and rights and promote education, enabling young girls to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health and rights. The initiative distributed free sanitary towels, school bags, writing materials, and educational scholarships to the beneficiaries.

Emphasizing the importance of quality access to menstrual health education, stating, Executive Director of IGRHD said: “We are committed to creating a period-friendly world where no woman is shamed because of her period, a world filled with young women proud of their bodily anatomy and in charge of it”

According to her, “no woman deserves to feel less of a human being for a
natural phenomenon. We are sensitizing young women to be self aware”.

Speaking, Lagos State Coordinator and Facilitator, Zenani Gbadume, described the engagement as “insightful and life-changing” for the girls.

Gbadume who led the team to Livingstone Private School, Ikorodu appreciated the school management for their maximum corporation.

In her own part, Temitayo Awodoyin,
Director of Operations at IGRHD, reiterated the organization’s
sustained commitment to helping young girls have a safe and hitch-free adolescence through comprehensive sexuality education as period shaming remains a form of abuse and human
rights violation.

Echoing a similar views, Moninkanola Ogidan, Director of Communications at IGRHD and State Coordinator for Ondo State, expressed her passion for the project.

Ogidan said: “We are trying our best to make the lives of these girls better, and the impact remains a motivation”.

Damilola Amoo, Director of Media Engagements and State Coordinator for Oyo State, acknowledged the positive reception of the She Must Know project by school proprietors and
teachers.

Amoo appreciated the sustained support from Wallace Global Fund.

Damilola who led the She Must Know Project at Eyini High School, Orita challenge, Ibadan Oyo state said through this initiative, IGRHD has demonstrated its dedication to empowering young girls and promoting menstrual health education, contributing to a more inclusive and supportive society.