NGO trains girls on reusable pads, urges parents to prioritise girl-child education

A non-governmental organisation, Frontier for Gender Advocacy, Accountability and  Empowerment Initiative, has empowered adolescent girls with skills on reusable sanitary pad production to improve school attendance.

The initiative, implemented under its EmpowerHer Cycle Projects focuses on ending period poverty,  empowering girls with skills, safety and dignity.

Speaking at the programme on Thursday in Kano, the organisation’s Executive Director, Barr. Amina Sulaiman, said the initiative was designed to tackle absenteeism among adolescent girls caused by lack of access to menstrual hygiene products.

Sulaiman said many girls miss school during their menstrual cycle because they cannot afford sanitary pads, describing the situation as a major challenge to girls’ education.

“We identified that most girls stay away from school during their period due to inability to afford hygiene products.

“To address this, we introduced a sustainable solution by training them to produce reusable sanitary pads using accessible materials,” she said.

She explained that the initiative would reduce financial burden on families, improve school retention and empower girls with practical skills.

According to her, beneficiaries can also turn the knowledge into a source of livelihood by producing and selling the pads.

“Beyond personal use, they can make and sell the pads, and even teach others, thereby creating economic opportunities,” she said.

Sulaiman added that the programme also incorporates menstrual health education and sensitisation on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), including identification, prevention and response mechanisms.

The executive director called on parents to prioritise girl-child education, noting that educating girls benefits not only the individual but the entire family and society.

She also commended government support through relevant gender-focused agencies, expressing optimism that collaboration would help expand the reach of such interventions across Kano State.

In her remarks, the Principal of Government Girls Junior Secondary School, Rijiyar Zaki, Maryam Haruna-Suleiman, described the initiative as timely and impactful.

She said many girls in public schools lack access to sanitary pads, which affects their attendance and participation in class.

“This programme will help our girls learn how to make and use reusable pads, and also pass the knowledge to others.

“It will improve their confidence and encourage them to attend school even during their menstrual period,” she said.

She urged the organisers to sustain and expand the initiative to benefit more schools.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme featured hands-on training on reusable pad production, menstrual hygiene management and distribution of dignity kits to participants.

The dignity kits containing underwear, soaps and detergents were distributed to participants to support proper hygiene during menstruation.(NAN)