LADY OAK ASSOCIATION MARKS WORLD MENSTRUAL HYGIENE DAY
Gives Out Free Reusable Menstrual Kits To Female Secondary School Students
In commemoration of this year’s, “World Menstrual Hygiene Day” members of the LadyOak Association, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives distributed over 700 reusable menstrual kits to female Students, within Ika North East and Ika South Local Government Areas of Delta State, by providing them with reusable menstrual kits.
The LadyOak Association is a Lagos-based socio-philanthropic, non-profit group comprising IKA women by origin or marriage. Our focus is to champion and sustain the development of the IKA community, especially its womenfolk through our established platforms of empowerment, enterprise, and healthy living.
Barr. Mrs. Christine Ewere Okubor, President of the Association while addressing the female students in their various schools said it has become imperative to break the silence about menstrual hygiene management by the girl child. The key findings of a Unicef-commissioned study revealed that many girls in developing countries such as Nigeria are unable to practice good menstrual health with dignity in their schools and communities.
This is a result of discriminatory social norms, cultural taboos, lack of basic services like toilets and sanitary products, poor household income and widespread poverty, which have pushed good menstrual health backstage. For these girls, poor menstrual hygiene management is at the root of low self-esteem, stress, and school absenteeism.
According to the president, this year’s “World Menstrual Hygiene Day” was tagged “PeriodFriendlyWorld” though the Lady Oak has retagged it “PeriodFriendlyNigeria” to help identify with our country.
She noted that the LadyOak Association has embarked on this Advocacy campaign focusing on the following key areas: Understanding menstrual health and hygiene, best practices for managing menstruation and breaking down cultural myths and taboos related to menstruation.
Providing accurate information and resources is crucial in empowering young girls to manage their menstrual health confidence and dignity. The distribution of free menstrual products ensures that no girl misses school due to a lack of access to these essential items and helps parents lift some of their burdens.
She said the Association would provide information about menstruation health management, promote positive hygiene habits, and break down taboos. To this end, we are pleased to invite you to partner with and support our club by donating sanitary towels or cash to help sensitise our girl children to boost their self-esteem highlight aren’t menstrual hygiene practices during their period and raise awareness about the importance of access to menstrual product.
She reiterated that our girls use unhygienic materials during menstruation, which can cause a health hazard.
She appealed to all to ensure the proper care of their bodies during and after menstruation, to prevent them from having an offensive odour, maintaining that hygiene should be thoroughly observed.
The President of the association was accompanied on the visits by some other members; this includes Lady Christine Ewere Okubor – President, Lady Felicia Azuka Osih- immediate past President, Lady Thelma Okoh – Public Relations Officer, Lady Betty Briggs, and Lady Gloria Erigbuem
Some of the schools that benefited from the gesture were Ime-Obi Secondary School, Ime-Obi, Igumbor Otiku Secondary School, Agbor, Abavo Girls Secondary School, Abavo, Ute-Ukpu Grammar School, Igbodo Comprehensive High School, Igbodo, Obi Efeizomor Secondary School, Owa, Agbor and Ika Queens Academy, Boji-Boji Owa, Delta State.
On their parts, the principal of Ime-Obi; Mr. Chukwuka Charles, Principal of Igumbor Oti-Otiku; Mrs. Priscilla Udu, the Principal of Efeizomor Secondary school; Mrs. Mary Ojoh, the Principal of Abavo Girls Secondary School; Mrs. Bellonia Enaigbe, the Principal of Ute-Ukpo Grammar school; Mrs. Agatha Aduga, the Principal of Igbodo Comprehensive High School; Mrs. Helen Morka and the Principal of Ika Queens Academy; Rev. Michael Ebie, in their separate remarks appreciated Lady Oak Association, appreciated the Association for their laudable gesture, maintaining that it would equally save parents the cost of getting disposable sanitary pads, for the duration of two to three years, praying God to bless and replenish them.
The student said it was an enlightening lecture and they were excited about the gift they least expected, assuring their donors of making judicious use of the sanitary pads and maintaining a PeriodFriendlyNigeria.
In their vote of thanks, the prefects of the schools expressed their gratitude, to the association, the prefects of the schools above, expressed their appreciation, for a show of love the association extended to them, praying to God to reward their generosity.