By Felix Asuquo, Calabar
The Special Adviser to the Wife of the Cross River State Governor on Political Affairs, Elizabeth Awatt, has called for concerted efforts to eradicate period poverty among vulnerable girls, stressing the need for stronger partnerships to sustain menstrual hygiene interventions across communities.
Awatt made the call during the June edition of the Padbank Mobile Outreach held at Government Secondary School, Nyaghasang, in Calabar Municipality, where she supported the initiative with sanitary materials for schoolgirls.
Represented through her gesture of support, the governor’s wife’s aide commended Padbank for its commitment to promoting menstrual hygiene and restoring dignity to girls through education and access to sanitary products.
She noted that collaboration among government agencies, development partners, private organisations and well-meaning individuals was essential to ensuring that no girl is denied education or opportunities because of challenges associated with menstruation.
No fewer than 170 schoolgirls benefited from the outreach, which saw the distribution of over 200 sanitary pads and other hygiene materials aimed at supporting menstrual health and personal hygiene.
The management of Government Secondary School, Nyaghasang, expressed appreciation to Padbank and its partners for selecting the school for the intervention.
The school’s principal described the institution as “a lonely school in a lonely community” and said the outreach came at a critical time for the students.
According to her, the programme would significantly boost the confidence and wellbeing of the girls, adding that both staff and students were delighted by the support.
Speaking during the event, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Cross River State Council, Archibong Bassey, highlighted Padbank’s vision of eliminating period poverty through advocacy, education and improved access to sanitary products.
Bassey urged the students to make good use of the knowledge gained from the programme and remain committed to their studies and future aspirations.
The outreach also featured a menstrual hygiene education session facilitated by Victoria Omini, popularly known as the Face of Padbank.
She educated the students on proper sanitary pad usage, menstrual hygiene management, nutrition during menstruation and the safe disposal of used sanitary materials.
A practical demonstration involving one of the students further reinforced the lessons, providing participants with firsthand knowledge of menstrual hygiene practices.
Many of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude to Padbank and its partners for bringing both educational support and sanitary materials to their school.
Padbank is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to combating period poverty, promoting menstrual hygiene and improving access to sanitary products for underprivileged girls, particularly those in vulnerable communities and girls living with disabilities.
