Public health worker Patricia Nkem-Innocent has initiated a campaign to educate young girls about personal hygiene and sexual health. Patricia believes this campaign is essential due to the current economic difficulties in the country, which have led many young girls to resort to using rags and other unhygienic materials as makeshift pads during menstruation.
As the incumbent student president at Communication and Democracy, Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, United Kingdom, Patricia launched the program titled “Menstrual Hygiene and Sexual Health Initiative” on International Women’s Day. She sees this as her way of giving back to young girls in society.
She expressed concern about the high cost of female sanitary products due to Nigeria’s rising inflation rate. Patricia noted that both young girls and older women are increasingly using rags and other unsanitary materials as pads during menstruation, a trend that she fears may lead to future health issues.
Patricia’s initiative stems from her passion for supporting and educating young girls on personal hygiene, particularly during menstruation. To kickstart her campaign, she distributed free sanitary pads to 227 young girls in three cities: Warri, Abuja, and Port-Harcourt, providing them with supplies that would last a minimum of three to four months.
In her own words, Patricia stated, “With the theme of International Women’s Day 2024 being ‘Inspire Inclusion’ and the United Nations theme being ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,’ what better way to celebrate than to give back to our young girls? Today, 227 girls in different parts of Nigeria received free pads as part of the ‘This is Nature Center Period’ campaign. This is my way of investing in our young girls, making a tangible difference in their lives, and alleviating a significant burden on their families.”
She encourages everyone to join her campaign and promises to continue her efforts. Patricia’s ultimate dream is to create a country where girls do not have to purchase pads, similar to the situation in Scotland and other countries worldwide.
