THIS IS THE REPORT OF THE FIRST PHASE OF SHE NEEDS TO KNOW PROJECT AND THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE GIRLS PERIOD KITS IMPLEMENTED BY IMPACT HER WORLD FOUNDATION ON THE 11TH OF NOVEMBER, 2020 AT THE ITOLO GIRLS JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, ERIC MOORE, SURULERE, LAGOS, NIGERIA WITH THE SPONSORSHIP OF NEXT LEADERS INITIATIVE FOR SUSTAINABILITY, NELIS, JAPAN
INTRODUCTION
She Needs to Know project was implemented by Impact Her World Foundation in partnership with the Lagos Ministry of Education district IV with the sponsorship of Next Leaders Initiative for Sustainability, NELIS, Japan.
The program which is a Sexual and Reproductive Health Education training for the girl child also saw the official launch and distribution of Girl’s Period Kit to the girl child as a measure of keeping them in school during their periods.
PERSONALITIES THAT GRACED THE EVENT
In recognition of the importance of the program, many dignitaries including government officials were in attendance to formally launch the girls period kits which have been adjudged as highly innovative and the first of its kind in Nigeria.
- The Principal, Mrs. Atoyebi Yetunde
- Vice Principal, Mr. Falaye Omoleye
- The Ministry of Education District IV Co-curriculum Officer Mrs. Agboola A O., represented by Mr. Olanrewaju Olaleye
- The Commissioner of Women Affairs Mrs. Bolaji Dada is represented by Mrs. Bose Omidoyin.
- The Commissioner of Youths and Social Development represented by Mr. Hafeez Akinpelu
- Teachers and the students.
PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
The opening remark of the program was done by the Principal of the school, Mrs. Atoyebi. She thanked the organization Impacts Her World Foundation (IHWF) and the district for the project as it is needed in a time when most of her female students are facing challenges with the growth and development of their bodies and themselves.
She went ahead to appreciate the organization on the laudable project of developing a period kit for the girl child in the public schools. According to her,
‘Our girls really need these kits and their content. We often experience school absenteeism especially among the most indigents and the Coronavirus pandemic has made it worse. Therefore, it gladdens my heart that the organization is distributing these kits’.
The Founder and Executive Director, Mrs. Ibe Nkechika Perpetua, welcomed the students, teachers, representatives from different ministries, district representative, and school authority for the great opportunity to educate and empower young girls with knowledge and information that will improve their general wellbeing and the privilege to impact the lives of the girls through the period kit. According to her,
‘as a build, up for a future free from menstrual challenges, school drop-out syndrome, poor academic performance, school absenteeism, sexual abuse, rape, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, illiteracy, the feminization of poverty, disease among other social vices suffered more by women and girls alongside the implementation of the fifth agenda on the Sustainable Development Goals, our organizations deemed it highly relevant to come up with this empowering project that will help young girls achieve better and quality education, make healthy life choices and protect themselves from any form of menstrual hygiene management challenges’.
She equally stated that: “the best way to plan for a future that would be inclusive for development to both genders is to tackle the issues of inequality, discrimination, and bias from the grass root. Young girls at the ages of 9 to 18 are more prone to abuse as they are yet to make informed and well thought out decisions, and thus the objectives of the ‘She Needs To Know’ project was focused on educating the students on their sexual and reproductive rights, coaching them on how to formulate their short and long term goals in a manner that is feasible and attainable, tutoring them on ways to invest and diversify in their skills and talents with reference to vocational training, providing them with needed supplies to ensure they stay in school and learn and inculcating in them healthy self-esteem and that the need to keep good company as this would help them build a network of resourceful persons”.
The district representative Mr. Olarenwaju Olaleye also appreciated the thoughtfulness of the organization to embark on such programs and pleaded with the students to listen and make the best out of the interactions, lessons, and the kit.
Dr. Kemi Agoyi, a resource speaker and SHRH Expert and Programs Manager at Safer Health Initiative Lagos delivered her note on ‘Sexually Transmitted Infection/Diseases and Abstinence’. She spoke on the causes, symptoms, and health consequences of these sexually transmitted diseases/infections like HIV/IDS, HPV, Syphillis, and many others. She further spoke on the different means of protecting oneself from contracting these diseases with emphasis on abstinence. Questions were raised concerning sex, child marriage, and sexual infections the experts answered and enlightened the girls accordingly. In the end, the girls were able to the discourse surrounding HPV, HIV, Cancer, Unwanted Pregnancy, Child Sex, Chlamydia amongst others infections and diseases.
The Founder/Executive Director Mrs. Nkechika Ibe equally trained the students on how to use the period tracker, which is contained in the period kit, in calculating their menstrual cycle.
Finally, Mr. Felix Iziomoh; Founder and Executive Director International Center for Leadership Development in Nigeria spoke to the girls about peer pressure, building healthy self-esteem, and the need to design their future through written down goal which should be ‘SMART’: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound as this would help curb the cases of misfortune, at the end of his speech the girls were able to write down their individual goals and ways to achieve them.
PROGRAM OUTCOME
At the end of the program, the students were able to;
- Map out a clear and smart goal for themselves
- Learn how to track their menstrual cycle and ovulation periods
- Learn how to insert their pads neatly in their pants and the proper way of disposing of them
- Learn the adequate ways of maintaining good menstrual hygiene
- Learn the various symptoms and manifestations of some sexually transmitted diseases/infections.
- Share their experiences with respect to pressure for sex from the opposite sex
LAUNCH OF GIRL’S PERIOD KIT
The launch/unveiling of the period kit which was the crucial part of the program was jointly done by the representatives of the Commissioner of Women Affairs, Commissioner of Youths and Social Development, and the district representatives, with the support of the school principal.
After the launching/unveiling, the Founder/Executive Director Mrs. Nkechika Ibe distributed to 100 girls who were also beneficiaries of the project. The beneficiaries were mostly indigents and girls with records of school absenteeism and the need for conscious intervention to boost educational interest and performance. Notably, the complete distribution took place on the 27th of November.
CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED
The project which was scheduled for 11th November was undertaken but not completed as a result of the mid-term examination going on in all government-owned schools. Therefore, the completion of the project took place on the 27th of November.
Our earlier plan was to distribute 100 kits in the school but it was not enough as over 500 girls were crying to get the kits.
LESSON LEARNED
- The need to always ensure projects do not clash with school activities to avoid dual implementation.
- More girls are in need of the kits in the schools
- The coronavirus has heavily impacted the school attendance of young girls as most families slide into poverty given the economic situation in the country.
- The school needs supplies of menstrual products in cases of emergency period encounter by the girls especially the menarche (Menarche is a young girl seeing her period for the first time).
WAY FORWARD
During the program, we carried out a survey to ascertain their knowledge of different period products and usage and menstrual hygiene management issues. The responses of the girls formed this recommendation.
- According to the survey, 43% of the girls are aware of reusable pads and usage while the remaining 57% were not. Hence, the need to embark on the production of reusable pads as a replacement for the disposable pad. This will enable the sustainability of the project and will equally reduce waste in the environment.
- Train the girls on how to use and manage reusable pads amidst water scarcity.
- The need to equip the school’s sickbay with menstrual supplies in cases of emergency and period pain tablets in cases of menstrual cramps during school hours.
- The renovation of toilet facilities in the school to promote Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in other to avoid infections and communicable diseases.
CONCLUSION
The program ended with an appreciation speech from the Vice Principal Mr. Falaye and also the teachers of the school. The coordinator of the program Mrs. Ibe Nkechika equally thanked the students for their active participation and the school for their support. The program ended at exactly 1:15 pm.
