By Gabriela Ezin, Calabar
Over 170 students of Government Secondary School, Nyaghasang, Calabar, have benefited from a menstrual hygiene outreach as stakeholders renewed calls for stronger partnerships to end period poverty among vulnerable girls.
Efforts to address period poverty and improve menstrual health among adolescent girls received a boost in Cross River State as stakeholders renewed calls for greater support and collaboration to ensure access to sanitary products and menstrual hygiene education.
The call came during the June edition of the Padbank Mobile Outreach held at Government Secondary School, Nyaghasang, Calabar Municipality, where more than 170 schoolgirls benefited from the intervention.
The Special Adviser to the Wife of the Governor on Political Affairs, Elizabeth Awatt, lent her support to the programme through the donation of sanitary materials, emphasizing the need for sustained partnerships to tackle the challenges faced by girls from disadvantaged communities.
She commended Padbank for its commitment to promoting menstrual health and restoring dignity to young girls through advocacy, awareness campaigns and the distribution of sanitary products.
According to her, ending period poverty requires a collective effort from government institutions, development agencies, private sector organisations and individuals willing to invest in the wellbeing of the girl child.
During the outreach, over 200 sanitary pads and other hygiene materials were distributed to the students, while participants also received practical lessons on menstrual hygiene management.
The Principal of Government Secondary School, Nyaghasang, Mrs. Boma John Solomon, expressed appreciation to Padbank and its partners for bringing the initiative to the school.
Describing the institution as a school located in an underserved community, she said the intervention would go a long way in boosting the confidence and wellbeing of the students.
Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River State Council, Archibong Bassey, said Padbank remains committed to ensuring that no girl misses educational opportunities because of a lack of access to sanitary products.
He urged the students to take advantage of the knowledge shared during the programme and remain focused on their academic pursuits.
A major feature of the event was a menstrual hygiene education session facilitated by Victoria Omini, Face of Padbank, who educated the girls on proper sanitary pad usage, personal hygiene, nutrition during menstruation and safe disposal practices.
The students actively participated in discussions and practical demonstrations, expressing gratitude for the support and describing the outreach as both enlightening and empowering.
This headline works well because it focuses on the initiative itself rather than a single individual, giving the story broader appeal and a stronger development angle.
