Since 2015, Hope and Dreams Initiative have been supporting menstrual and reproductive health education in Nigeria, a practice we call Hygiene for Girls.
Lack of access to menstrual products impacts millions of girls across the country. As many as 10% miss school because of it. The effect of these missed days is devastating, with girls missing up to 20% of their education, thereby increasing the likelihood of dropping out, earlier marriage and pregnancy as well as limiting career options.
Hope and Dreams Initiative support the provision of menstrual pads. Providing these products means the burden of purchasing products each month is removed.
The case for girls’ education is well documented as one of the most important tools for development. We believe that no one should have to miss out on opportunities that will affect their future, simply because they have a period.
This is why the Hope and Dreams Initiative took the 2016 Global Handwashing day as an opportunity to organize a special event which was aimed at educating young girls on the importance of taking their hygiene more seriously.
The students and their teachers worked tireless preparing for the event, and we were super proud of them. Students and teachers at the Abuja event sang the official hand washing song in two different native Nigerian language and the schools at the event in Niger Delta, performed a play, poem and also the hand washing song illustrating the importance of washing hands every day and after every activities.
The girls were excited to receive their hygiene bag and all students got a goodie bag filled with hygiene stuff and they all promised, signed and pledged to wash their hands every day.
We are taking one child, one school and one community at a time.
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