NGO distributes menstrual Hygiene package to Bauchi school girls

By Samuel Luka, Bauchi

As part of activities to mark the 2024 United Nations International Day of Girl Child, a Non-governmental Organization known as Chonngsquare Women and Children Foundation (CWCF) has distributed menstrual Hygiene kits to over a hundred adolescent school girls in Bauchi state.

Speaking during the event held at the GDSS Miri on Monday, the Executive Director of the NGO, Mr Arkila Yelmi said the program was meant to educate girls on menstrual hygiene practices, promote self-care, and raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse to foster healthy lifestyle choices.

“We aim to restore the dignity and destiny of every woman and girl, hoping that our effort will have a greater positive impact on them. We want them to have confidence that the future is actually bright and that they can make it in life”, the Executive Director said.

Mr Yelmi stressed that the awareness campaign was meant to ensure that the school children have good knowledge of their importance and the better future ahead, saying that the campaign will made the participants to know how to make decisions and stand against drug abuse as well as, manage their menstrual hygiene correctly.

“We are targeting 150 adolescent girls to benefit from the free menstrual hygiene kits. The package include, sanitary pads, inner wear, detergent and Dettol soap”, he said.

Mr Yelmi while lamenting the increasing number of school dropouts, expressed optimisms that if the children are better informed at tender age, they will not involve in drug abuse.

“We have a lot of youths on the street due to the negative effect of drug abuse from different dimensions, be it alcohol or other illicit substances. They are supposed to have a better future but unfortunately today, they are on the streets”, Mr Yelmi lamented.

He observed that the children engage in drug abuse due to lack of proper orientation at their tender age, a situation he said, made some of them to be influenced by peer group.

Mr Yelmi who decried that campaign against drug abuse is not part of the curriculum in the schools, said that the teachers are busy inculcating knowledge unto the children, without telling them more on dangers of drug abuse.

“This aspect is not been recognized, some parents who are doing their best does not have the knowledge of this societal problem even as they are. We are creating the awareness for the children to understand and make a decision that will better their future”, he said.

The Executive Director who explained that after the engagement with the school children, the organization will establish a club to campaign against drug abuse among the children, added that the NGO will make sure that the existing club in the school, if any, is reactivated in order to succeed in the fight against drug abuse for a better society.

“If the one existing in the school is not active, we will reactivate the club and ensure that this kind of session continue to happen from time to time, reminding them because some of the materials been used for the training would be shared to the school and the school authority will now continue from where we stopped”, he said.

The Executive Director further noted: “This one is a self sponsored by the NGO. By the time we have sponsorship and partnership with other NGOs, we will be able to come and ensure that we continue to check and support towards the campaign against drug abuse”.

“We are trying to adopt a recent practice of pad bank, where a girl child will always have access to free sanitary pad for utilization and we will partner to ensure that it has become a reality”, Mr Yelmi assured.

Our Correspondent reports that the event drew contributions from stakeholders, including school principals, members of ward development committees, officials from the Bauchi State Ministries of Education, Health and Women Affairs.

Others include, the representatives of Primary Health Care Development Board, civil society organizations, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and the media.

The collaborative dialogue underscored the importance of unified efforts in creating a healthy, safe, and supportive environment for adolescent girls, empowering them to achieve their dreams and build a promising future.