Maureen Okpe
Neem Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation, as part of its commitment to end period poverty among young schoolgirls, distributed sanitary towels to over 300 students in Abuja.
The foundation carried out this empowerment scheme on Thursday in collaboration with the Regent Schools Abuja at the Junior Secondary School (JSS) Jabi 1, Abuja.
Nancy Oyibo, Head of Legal at Neem Foundation, emphasized the importance of normalizing conversations around menstrual health and hygiene. She stressed that access to menstrual hygiene products is crucial to the healthy living, well-being, and dignity of all women and girls in society.
“Empowering women to take charge of their menstrual health is not just essential but transformative,” she said. “We discovered that some young girls cannot afford sanitary towels during their periods. Given the current rate of inflation, we thought it was imperative to help these young ladies, who are the future of our country.”
Oyibo highlighted that this was their second distribution event in Abuja, with previous efforts also carried out in Maiduguri. She noted that the goal is to establish pad banks in schools, as research by the organization revealed that female students often miss school during their menstrual periods.
“This initiative is just the first step in many activities planned. We aim to take this campaign as far as it needs to go, to raise awareness about the impact of period poverty on girls’ education,” she added. “We want to ensure that girls can confidently attend school and compete with their male counterparts without worrying about menstrual hygiene.”
For now, Neem Foundation is focusing on engaging with girls to make them comfortable discussing menstrual hygiene. Oyibo pointed out that some girls are shy about these topics, which is why male personnel are involved in the discussions as a gradual process. The ultimate goal is to include boys in these conversations as well.
“This issue stems from the home, where discussions about menstrual hygiene are often avoided. We are working to change that narrative and spread the word to everyone,” she explained.
During an interactive session with the students, Neem Legal Assistant, Aliyyah Abdulkadir, emphasized that providing sanitary towels is essential to ensure girls do not have to choose between school and menstrual care.
She urged the students to become agents of change by educating others and breaking the culture of silence surrounding menstrual health.
Also speaking, Aisha Muniru Mai, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director, highlighted the upcoming 16 Days of Activism on Violence Against Women, noting that Neem Foundation is focusing on access to education.
“One overlooked issue is period poverty. Without access to menstrual hygiene products, it becomes difficult to attend school and learn. We are teaching children to identify signs of violence and report them to the appropriate authorities.”
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Dr. Grace Ifeyinwa Onyeanusi, Director/Principal of JSS Jabi 1, expressed profound gratitude to Neem Foundation for their kind gesture, which she believes will significantly help the students maintain hygiene during menstruation.
One of the beneficiaries, Tega Praise Ogaga, a JSS 3 student, shared her appreciation. She disclosed how she sometimes fears asking her parents for sanitary towels and resorts to using a single pad for an extended period.
“Sometimes I have to use rags or multiple pairs of underwear, which is very uncomfortable. With the sanitary towels from Neem Foundation, I won’t have to make any demands from my parents for a while,” she said.
Neem Foundation is a leading crisis response organization committed to promoting the protection and well-being of populations and communities affected by conflict, violence, and fragility.