Girls across Nigeria have been encouraged to prioritize their menstrual and mental health to help them grow into confident adults capable of facing the future without limitations.
This formed the core message of Glo Foundation, the social investment arm of Globacom, during its engagement with schoolgirls across the country on Wednesday as part of activities to commemorate this year’s International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC), themed: “The GIRL I am, the changes I lead: GIRLS on the frontline of crisis.”
Working with Health Aid for All Initiative (HAFAI), a non-governmental organization, the Foundation organized a health awareness campaign aimed at educating 100 girls each in selected schools in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Benin, Owerri, and Kaduna on menstrual hygiene.
“Menstrual periods should never be a reason for a girl to lose confidence, miss school, or feel held back. That’s why we put this initiative together where we also provided menstrual care kits to the young girls in these selected states, to ensure that they have not just what they need, but also the reassurance that their growth and dignity matter,” the Foundation disclosed in a statement.
The participating schools included Community Secondary School, Port Harcourt; Methodist Government Junior High School, Agege, Lagos; LGEA Upper Basic School Kudansa, Maraban Rido, Kaduna; Oba Ewuare Grammar School, Oko Central, Benin City; Orogwe Secondary School, Owerri; and Junior Secondary School, Dutse Sagwari, Abuja.
In Lagos, Dr Ugorchi Ohajuruka, a medical doctor and public health specialist, alongside Mrs Lara Rowland, engaged students of Methodist Government Junior High School, Agege, in discussions on menstrual hygiene, gender-based violence, and mental health. They also addressed questions from the pupils.
The school’s Principal, Mr Olawale Adebakin, commended the initiative, stressing the need for continuous attention to the health and well-being of girls. “There is a need to take care of the girl child. We need to protect them so they will be useful for the development of the country,” he said.
Similar activities took place simultaneously in Abuja, Kaduna, Benin, Owerri, and Port Harcourt, with participants describing the programme as both enlightening and empowering.
