Provide WASH libraries and Pads4Girls in Nigeria

May 28, 2017 was observed globally as Menstrual Hygiene Day. It is a global platform for partners across all sectors to engage in awareness, advocacy and knowledge sharing around the importance of menstrual hygiene management. Hope and Dreams Initiative celebrated with 70 girls from different public schools in  FCT, Abuja and Warri, Delta State.

FCT, Abuja
We organized a TED interactive talk at the FCT Education Resource Centre, City Library, Abuja. on the theme: “Education to create awareness among girls on the need to observe hygiene during their menstrual period through sharing of our period experiences,
Dr. Vera Okpede, Medical Doctor of Ministry of Defense Medical Center FCT Abuja, took the girls through the proper use of sanitary pad, advised them to wash their hands with soap and running water before putting on their sanitary pads and ensure proper use of the sanitary pads to prevent leakages.
Dr. Okpede educated the girls on why we menstruate and other health relate issues also said “the celebration of the day would help break the silence and build awareness of menstruation to enable women and girls to reach their full potential.She called on policy makers to encourage menstrual education among boys, men, teachers, health workers and other professionals to help break negative social norms and provide accurate information and support to the women.
We had adult participant share their period experiences with us, Ifeoma Emelife, Energy Sector Coordinator & PPP Advisor and a mother of three young girls while sharing her period experience with the girls also called on the government to render education on menstrual hygiene to enable women and girls to feel confident and empowered to make informed decisions about how to manage their menstruation. Mrs. Emelife also told the girls to consider them luck for having these stuffs of workshops because she had none during her time growing up.
Doris Shann Program Coordinator for Center for water and environment development while also sharing her period experience made the call to parents, teachers and residents of the community to advocate for all schools to have a menstrual-friendly environment by having changing rooms for girls to change while in their menses at school to make them feel comfortable.
We had students from Queen Amina college, LEA Primary School, Aleytia, LEA Primary School, Gosa and Government Girls Secondary School Kaduna shared their period experience and read a poem about period, both starts were very happy to be at the event but also started that when they started their period they had no clue what was happening to them, no one taught anything period or what to do so therefore they hid it from their parents and resorted to using tissues/rags due to lack of funds and access to clean sanitary products. 11 Years old Amina stated that she personally uses rag because she is from a single parent home and her mother has no money to buy sanitary pads for her. She was particularly happy to have received our hygiene bag filled with sanitary pads, deodorant, toothpaste/brush and soap, we had 30 students from 5 different schools from the northern parts of Nigeria and each student received a hygiene bag with sanitary pads, deodorant, toothpaste/brush and soap
Mr. Anais a teacher from one of the schools in Kaduna called for increased public awareness to eradicate the misconceptions, myths and negative perceptions about menstruation. And express gratefulness to Hope and Dreams Initiative for having such a wonderful event.

Warri Delta State.
We had a similar event at PIND conference training hall in Warri, Delta State with 40 students from seven different schools namely Toberise BASIC School Oghara, Ogiame Primary School, Dora Numa College, Egbokogdo Secondary and Primary School, Younna Secondary School. Dr. Elohor Imiruaye of Lee Clinic, Warri in Delta State. Dr. Elohor stated during the workshop that wrong attitude would continue if girls and boys were not given adequate education concerning menstruation and how to handle challenges associated with it. She gave a simple explanatory lecture on why we have menstruation and the importance of keeping clean during and after menstruation.
Faith, a junior student from Tobrise Basic School, Oghara in Delta State shared her period experience with us and stated that when she started her period, she thought she was hurt and was bleeding and she would cut pieces of rags to protect the blood from staining her uniform. but unknown to her as was explained to her by her friend that she had stated menstruating and could get pregnant if a man touches her. Laura a student from Egbokogdo Secondary School, also shared that she uses rag for her sanitary products and has no access to sanitary pads because her family is very poor.
These 40 students all went home with an individual hygiene bags filled with sanitary pads both reusable and disposal one, deodorant, toothpaste/brush.
For Menstrual Hygiene Day 2017, Hope and Dreams Imitative distributed 70 hygiene bags to 70 students from 12 different schools.
The goal for these International Hygiene Menstruation Celebration was to bring young girls from different schools together and educate them about their menstrual cycle, the importance of Menstruation and other health related issues and as an organization whose main goals are EDUCATION, MENSTRUTAION AND HYGIENE we believe that Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities with soap should be provided in the schools as part of efforts to make them menstrual friendly to encourage girls to be in school during their menstrual periods, since most girls stayed away from school during their menses which consequently affects their academic performance.
And these three key elements are important, which included awareness creation on menstruation and a menstrual-friendly environment in schools, would help empower girls to stay in schools and help improve their academic performance.
‘Education about Menstruation changes everything and it starts with YOU and I