Owerri: The Nigeria-American Football Association (NAFA), through its Gridiron Gems Initiative, has taken a significant step in empowering 500 girls in Owerri, Imo State, with a focus on sports mentorship and menstrual hygiene support. The initiative, held at Girls Secondary School, Ikenegbu, combined American football training with health education and the distribution of essential menstrual hygiene materials, all aimed at fostering the well-being and development of adolescent girls.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event featured the participation of NAFA Vice President and Coordinator of the initiative, Miss Nancy Damhindi, who highlighted the program’s objective of addressing visibility and career accessibility issues for women in sports. Damhindi expressed concerns that many girls learn sports, specifically American football, but often cease participation as athletes, with some not advancing beyond secondary school.
The initiative, in collaboration with Browns Nigeria, Pads for Her Initiative,
and Bemore Empowerment Foundation, seeks to challenge societal stereotypes that confine Nigerian women’s potential to domestic roles. Damhindi emphasized that many girls discontinue sports due to parental and societal constraints. The program aims to provide a safe platform for girls to pursue careers as sports lawyers, doctors, players, coaches, or referees, breaking away from traditional roles.
Additionally, the initiative addresses period poverty by distributing sanitary pads and other hygiene products. ‘We provided bags containing sanitary pads, roll-ons, and motivational affirmation cards to enhance the students’ self-esteem,’ Damhindi stated, noting the challenges some girls face in accessing menstrual pads.
The Owerri outreach follows a similar event in Lagos, which also empowered 500 girls, with plans to extend the initiative to Abuja. Participants received practical training in flag football, learning about player positions and basic game techniques, including quarterback roles and essential gamepl
ay strategies.
Beneficiaries of the program, such as Miss Chizaramepere Duru, acknowledged the dual impact of sports clinics and health lectures, while Miss Precious Opara praised the menstrual hygiene support provided by the Bemore Empowerment Foundation and Mrs. Betty Akeredolu. These initiatives encourage girls to embrace their bodies and continue participating actively in sports without hindrance from menstrual health challenges.