Lokoja: The First Lady of Nigeria, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has made a significant contribution to girls’ education and health by donating 10,000 disposable sanitary pads to schoolgirls in Kogi State under her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI). The donation was made during the launch of her ‘Flow With Confidence’ initiative, which took place in Lokoja and aims to empower schoolgirls nationwide through menstrual health education and provision of sanitary products.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the First Lady, represented by the wife of the Kogi Governor, Sefinat Ododo, highlighted that the initiative involves donating 370,000 disposable sanitary pads to girls in rural communities across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The initiative is part of the broader RHI strategy to address challenges faced by girls in accessing sanitary products, which often leads to absenteeism and school dropouts.
Mrs. Tinubu emphasized the importance of ensuring that no girl has to choose between her dignity and her education. She announced the handover of 10,000 disposable sanitary pads to the Kogi State First Lady for distribution to 10,000 girls in rural areas, each receiving a year’s supply. The RHI has invested N2.55 billion in procuring sanitary pads from a local manufacturer for distribution to 370,000 schoolgirls in rural communities.
Mrs. Tinubu called on stakeholders to support the programme and praised Gov. Usman Ododo and his wife for their efforts in empowering the girl child in the state. Dr. Grace Afolabi from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare stressed the need for parents to educate their children on menstrual hygiene and urged the government to invest more in menstrual health.
The state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Wemi Jones, described the programme as a movement to restore dignity, build confidence, and ensure that no girl is left behind due to menstruation. He expressed gratitude to the First Lady and the governor’s wife for their initiative.
Mr. Tijani Oricha, State Coordinator of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, remarked that the event demonstrated a strong commitment to dignity, inclusion, and uninterrupted education for every girl child. Ms. Goodnews Shiloba, the Head Girl of GYB Model Science Secondary School, Adankolo, spoke on behalf of the students and commended the First Lady for the initiative.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the initiative also calls on corporate organizations and government agencies to support efforts aimed at empowering more girls.