First Lady Sen. Oluremi Tinubu unveiled a transformative initiative on Thursday in Gombe, aimed at providing free sanitary pads to 370,000 schoolgirls nationwide, ensuring they can manage menstruation with dignity and stay in school.
The Flow With Confidence Initiative, part of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), will distribute 10,000 disposable sanitary pads to each of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory through the offices of state first ladies.
“No girl should miss school because she cannot afford sanitary pads,” Mrs. Tinubu declared, highlighting the shame, stigma, and educational setbacks many girls face due to period poverty.
With over N2.5 billion committed to the program, the initiative seeks to promote menstrual hygiene, reproductive health, and uninterrupted education. She urged local government chairmen to ensure the pads reach rural communities and warned against any diversion or sale of the supplies.
Education Minister Tunji Alausa praised the First Lady’s leadership, noting that menstruation remains a barrier for millions of girls, leading to missed school days and dropouts.
He announced that menstrual health education is now part of the school curriculum and that the ministry is enhancing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure in schools to support girls’ needs.
Asma’u Yahaya, wife of Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya, expressed gratitude for the initiative, emphasizing that lack of access to sanitary products can cause girls to miss up to five school days monthly, risking academic setbacks and health issues from unhygienic alternatives.
She pledged Gombe’s support to ensure the program’s success, advocating for cultural shifts to end menstrual stigma.
The Flow With Confidence Initiative marks a bold step toward empowering Nigeria’s schoolgirls, fostering an environment where they can pursue education without fear or interruption.
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