As part of efforts to deflate the swirl of menstrual poverty among the girl child in the society, Ornament of Grace and Virtue International Organization has recently empowered not less than 1,000 girls with packs of reusable menstrual pad that will sustain them for at least one year.
With Cakasa as one of the sponsors, the empowerment programme was basically set up with a view to crush the scourge of menstrual poverty among the adolescent girls.
The one day empowerment programme entitled: “Health And Wellness For 1000 Adolescent Girls” with the theme: “Ending Menstrual Poverty” was an initiative of OGAV Foundation which was done as a replacement for the annual summer leadership camp in other to support the girl child. About 1000 girls in Education District I, Agege Lagos were mentally and physically empowered on how to end menstrual poverty.
Aside the 1000 girls that hugely benefited from the programme, not less than 159 boys and 55 Parents at the event were also said to have been greatly impacted with the empowerment at the venue.
While giving her opening remarks, the founder, Ornament of Grave and Virtue International Organization, Mrs Busola Kolade noted that millions of women and girls around the world are stigmatized, excluded, and discriminated against simply because they menstruate.
She explained that In 2022, it’s no longer acceptable that a natural bodily function will prevent women and girls from getting an education, earning an income, and fully and equally participating in everyday life.
She however highlighted three aims of the programme which include Equipping adolescents with necessary information regarding menstruation, menstrual hygiene, address shaming and disgrace associated with it; to empower 1000 adolescent girls with reusable sanitary pads for proper menstrual hygiene maintenance, and to also involve and educate school stakeholders and adolescent boys during the training sessions to get acquited with what the girls go through during menstruation.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Chairman, Cakasa Ebenezer Foundation, Engr. Philip Balami Yaro who was represented by Helen Egbe, the Executive Director of the Foundation confirmed that each girl was presented with a pack containing pads that are reusable for one year.
According to Engineer Yaro, “the foundation was honoured to be associated again with OGAV which has been championing the cause of the girl child, holding regular summer empowerment day camps; this year, focusing on ‘ending menstrual poverty.
“Girl Child empowerment especially among secondary school pupils aligns with two of CEF’s objects of Education and Empowerment and the UN Sustainable Development Goals 1,3,4 and 5 of zero poverty, good health and well-being, quality education and gender equality respectively” he said.
Delivering the empowerment lecture, Dr. Toyin Faboya, the Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health Services, University of Benin tutored the girls on information about mestruation, menstrual hygiene and maintainance, and addressed shamming and disgrace associated with it.
Dr. Faboya, the Founder of Wholesome Health Empowerment Initiaves profoundly took the girls through the biological stages of development and how easy they can fall victim of hormonal mismanagement if they fail to take note of the laid down procedures.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo who was represented by Director of Ministry of Basic Education Service, Mrs O. Adediran commended the initiatives, adding that it will be of immense benefits to the girl child.
In the same vein, the Assistant Director, Ministry of Social and Youths Services, Mrs Banker Williams commended the Initiaves.
On her part, the Founder, Movement Against Gender Violence, Mrs Lara Roland who lectured the girls on Taboos of Mestruation hinted on reason they should not see their monthly flow as something to be ashamed of. She also advised them to always speak up whenever there is gender violation against them.
The girls who are beneficiaries of the empowerment programme described the initiatives as a laudable intervention at this stage of their lives.
“I really benefitted a lot. I was taught how to take care of myself during mensuration, make use of good hygiene, change my sanitary pad every eight hour and should not see menstruation as a shameful thing.” Said Taiwo Abibat, one of the beneficiaries.
While addressing the Press on her drive for the project, the founder, Mrs Busola Kolade explained that her motivation is borne out of her passion to give back to her society and the need to educate, nurture and mentor young girls.
“We have been doing this for the past six years. We started at Ikoyi with about 120 students in 2013. Later, the number rose to 200, then 400 and thereafter, we moved to 1,000 students. We have had 1000 students for four years. So far, we have impacted nothing less than 6000 girls.
“For me, it is a Ministry. Apart from that, I feel the need to bring up the girls and nurture them to be successful. Because of gender inequality, I know that girl child is at a disadvantage. As a girl who grew into a beautiful woman, I feel the need to give back to my society.
“I went to an all girls school- Queens School in Ibadan. During our time, we were nurtured and mentored and today, I feel that those values are missing.
“As a community, we need to recognize that our girls need to know what is authentic. They need to be able to differentiate between what is valuable and what is not. We need to guard them in a way that will put them on the right part of career so that they can in turn, be positive agents to the community.
“We all know that when you educate a woman, you educate a Nation. There is an economy stability when women are educated because they will educate their children.
“Nigerians emigrate to Canada because the society is stable and secured. After enriching other Nations, I feel the need to come back and enrich my Country. The only way we can make Nigeria to be like Canada, US, UK and other great Nations is to sow back to the country and that is exactly what I’m doing.” She said.
Notwithstanding the passion that is driving the project, Mrs Kolade, an Educator with Toronto District School Board in Canada identified some challenges she has to consistently deal with, each time she needs to put up the empowerment programme.
According to her, it has been difficult raising funds in Nigeria to support the foundation.
“I find it extremely difficult to get sponsors in Nigeria for the project. On the average, this particular event costs me over five million naira. I had to task friends and families to raise money. I have an NGO in Canada through which I also raised money and put together to fund the project in Nigeria.” She explained.
Ornament of Grace and Virtues International, a Non-profit organization is basically aimed at nurturing and empowering girls, using a holistic approach that will help them become leading women of the society and in turn, impact the community positively.
It is an initiatives that has maintained a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion which support the mission and vision of the organization.
The recent edition of the empowerment had students from Sanngo Junior School as beneficiaries. Similarly, the deaf students who were in attendance were supported by their interpreter.
The Parents Forum were also very supportive and saw the value of giving a sustainable support to the girls.
