Stand Up For Women Society, Lagos Chapter, has unveiled *Pad a Girl Child Initiative* envisioned to eradicate menstrual poverty amongst poor and vulnerable girls in Lagos State, by creating easy access to sanitary pads that are reusable, affordable and eco friendly.
From research, we realize that young girls have little access to sanitary pads and this affects their convenience and self-esteem.
Consequently, the initiative seeks to restore dignity and good health to the girl child.
Liberator Mariam Adegunwa, Lagos State Chapter Chairperson for SWS, said the initiative was borne out of the need to empower young girls and women who are going through various forms of stigmatization, abuse and health challenges as a result of their natural menstrual cycle.
According to the blogger who is also the Chairperson Lagos Chapter, said what ought to be a proud period in the lives of most girls in Lagos often turn out to be their most dreadful period.
In some cases, menstruation becomes a dream-killer as the girls rarely get to attend schools during menstruation, while others who cannot afford a good menstrual pad rely on old rags as alternatives, with detrimental health challenges.
Liberator Mariam also stated that, they are also commonly vulnerable to sexual abuse in their quest to seek money to buy menstrual pads.
She also seek for partnership and support of the government, Pad Producing Companies, cooperate bodies and individuals to assist in this initiative to ensuring that the project stands out as a laudable and sustainable project as it's promised to be a long term project.
Organizing menstrual hygiene management training and workshops in schools and communities. Periodical donation of menstrual hygiene materials to poor and vulnerable school children in Lagos State.
On the other hand, the initiative is aimed to optimize awareness of menstrual hygiene management amongst the young generation who serve as change agents in society.
This will minimize incidence of disease and death from unhygienic menstrual practices amongst vulnerable girls.