70 % Of Secondary School Girls In Anambra Can’t Afford Sanitary Pads

70 % of young secondary school girls in Anambra can no longer afford sanitary pads,  a day-to-day necessity in their hygiene practice.

The revelation which has to do both with the economic situation in the country, and limited awareness was a fallout of the activities marking this year’s International Menstrual Hygiene Day (IMHD) in Anambra

The Creative Ladies Global Resources, organised a one-day symposium in the state to raise awareness of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls.

-Sanitary pads – 1

And there were no less than 200 secondary school girls in attendance, with the NGO distributing about 5, 000 sanitary pads.

Mrs Maureen Okolieukwu, Converner of the programme observed the lack of information on the part of girls, which also affect their level of hygiene awareness, coupled with the prevailing economy.

“We also discovered that over 70 per cent of girls in secondary schools cannot afford the cost of pads. Beyond the distribution of pads, we are also teaching them how to make reusable pads”, Okolieukwu said..

”We discovered that these children don’t know much about hygiene during menstruation, so this gender based gathering is to teach young girls issues of menstrual hygiene.

” The training is to grow a generation of hygiene champions who will go back to their schools and teach their mates how to take care of themselves.

“We are partnering with 150 schools but just about 45 schools sent in their representatives,” she said.

With ‘Action and Investment in Menstrual Hygiene and Health”, as theme, the programme provided opportunity for the girls to track up on best hygiene practices,

Under the programme, which receives support from the First Lady of Anambra State, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano would be distributing about 5, 000 sanitary pads  to other young girls within the next three months, the organisers said.

-Sanitary pads – 2

She said the partners were taking the initiative, in thier believ that sanitary pads should not be a burden to girls who need it of necessity.

She said development had shown that girls could actually sew their pads with the right materials and if they were taught the procedure.

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Aside Mrs Obiano, Sen. Uche Ekwunife and Sen.Ifeanyi Ubah were also mentioned aspart of the sponsors of the free sanitary pads.