First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu launches the distribution of 10,000 free sanitary pads to school girls in Niger state.
From Our Correspondent
First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, through her pet project, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), on Thursday launched the distribution of 10,000 customised disposable sanitary pads to school girls across Niger State to promote menstrual hygiene and reduce absenteeism.
The distribution was launched at Aliyu Muazu Memorial Primary School, Minna, as part of the national rollout of the “Flow with Confidence’ programme, which targets 370,000 school girls across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu who was represented by the Wife of the Niger State Governor and the State RHI Coordinator, Hajiya Fatima Bago, said the intervention was designed to equip girls with menstrual health knowledge, restore dignity and boost confidence.
“No girl should miss school due to menstruation. It is unacceptable that many girls, especially in rural communities, still miss school because they cannot afford sanitary pads,” she said.
She added that some girls resort to unsafe alternatives that expose them to infections, while others stay away from school entirely, increasing the risk of dropping out.
“This trend must end. No girl should ever have to choose between her dignity and her education,” she said.
She said each state and the FCT would receive 10,000 packs of pads for distribution through First Ladies and RHI Coordinators. In Niger, more than 50 schools across the 25 LGAs are expected to benefit, with 10 students in each school receiving a one-year supply of 12 pieces each.
She disclosed that the RHI spent N2.55 billion to procure the customised pads, produced locally, and called on corporate organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to support the programme for wider coverage.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Niger Governor on Women Affirmative Action, Mrs Mary Noel-Berje, described the initiative as a bold step toward strengthening the dignity, confidence and wellbeing of young girls who often miss school due to lack of menstrual hygiene materials.
In their goodwill messages, Hajiya Maimunat Tahir, Project Coordinator of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), said the programme complemented government efforts in empowering adolescent girls. She noted that 23,000 girls had been trained in safe-space programmes and 8,072 girls benefited from scholarships through conditional cash transfers.
Also, the Director-General of Schools and Education Reform, Hajiya Maimuna Mohammed; Founder of Farid Centre, Hajiya Amina Gimba and Ms Aisha Wakaso, Special Adviser on Print Media, said the intervention would help reduce the number of girls who miss school due to menstruation.
A lecturer at the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, Dr Valda Martins, held a session on personal hygiene, demonstrating the proper use and disposal of sanitary pads and emphasising the importance of maintaining cleanliness during and after menstruation.
Two benefitting students who spoke, Favour Ayeni from Maryam Babangida Girls Science College, Minna and Shamesiya Garba from Government Day Secondary School, Maitumbi, expressed appreciation to the First Lady for the gesture.
The Wife Niger State Governor, however disclosed plan that the state is exploring plans to replicate annual free menstrual pad distribution for school girls in the state.
