June 24, (THEWILL) – An oil company, Oriental Energy Resources, has donated 1,000 bags of sanitary pads to girls in two secondary schools in Akwa Ibom state.
The benefiting schools, Ibesikpo Secondary Commercial school, Ibesikpo Asutan and Amayam Community Secondary school, Ikot Ekpene council areas, received 650 and 350 bags, respectively.
According to the Managing Director of the company, Mr Mustapha Idimi, the gesture, which is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility, is aimed at providing sensitisation on menstrual hygiene and fighting the high rate of school dropouts, due to period poverty among girls in junior secondary two and three in the country.
He said It is also to discourage the use of old rags and other harmful materials by girls during their menstrual period due to their inability to afford proper sanitary pads.
Idimi, who spoke during the presentation of the items on Thursday, said that the initiative was in support of the Mentrual Hygiene Day, which is held May 28, every year.
Represented by Head, Community and Government Relations Officer, Dr Uwem Ite, Idimi said that Oriental Energy Resources Ltd was worried at the cases of girls dropping out from school due to period poverty.
“There is no doubt that education is a human right. As such, every child has a right to education and no girl should stay away from school due to period poverty.
“Period poverty is a situation where women and girls cannot afford proper menstrual hygiene products, due to financial hardship. It is also viewed as inadequate access to menstrual tools and education, which makes it difficult for students to safely manage their menstrual cycle.
“Our support for 2022 Menstrual Hygiene Day is also a contribution towards fighting period poverty, improving gender equality in education. These issues are all in line with Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), 3, 4, 5 adopted by the United Nations in September 2015.
“It is pertinent to note here that the SDG 3 focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for everyone at all ages.
“Unfortunately, it is evident that if women and girls lack access to affordable, hygienic menstrual products, they often use old rags, cloths or other unhygienic materials. This can lead to reproductive tract infections and other health conditions”, he expressed.
Also speaking at the event, the director of Aniedi Etim Foundation, Miss Aniedi Etim, said there was need to address the issue of period poverty among teenage girls in the society.
According to her, “Before I get to to say why we are here gathered this morning, I will like to first mention that I never knew that what my friends and I experienced back then in secondary school as teenage girls was called period poverty, not until some years later.
“So, my friends and I used to skip school during menstruation most of the time because we couldn’t afford menstrual products, and because we were afraid of getting stained and teased by boys and girls at school, so we would rather stay home during menstruation because the discomfort that comes with having to make use of hygienic materials during menstruation is indescribable.”
