The Town Crier Initiative Africa, an Enugu-based non-governmental organization, has trained 54 youths on the production of reusable sanitary pads.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training, which took place on Thursday in Enugu, also featured menstrual hygiene sensitization.
The Executive Director of the group, Mr. Ogene Ogbodo, said the re-usable pads were as good as the use-and-discard ones, especially when strict guidelines on how to use them were adhered to.
“You can use materials of your choice and pick beautiful local fabric to form the outer layer.
“The rules of use of the re-usable pad are that you wash, sun dry and iron. With this, it is ready for re-use once more,’’ Ogbodo said.
According to him, the locally-produced pad has the advantage of being cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
He urged government at all levels to remove VAT on sanitary kits to help females that use imported sanitary pads based on doctors’ prescription.
He called for the inclusion of menstrual and sex education in the school curriculum and also make it mandatory for “all schools to have sanitary pad banks, basically for the girl child”.
“We call on all sanitary kit producers to subsidise prices to make it affordable for all, irrespective of class or geographical placement.
“We urge men and boys to get involved in generating discussion around menstruation.
“Men and boys should also imbibe the spirit of acquiring sanitary pads or kits for their children, wards, friends, class or workmate and spouses,’’ he said.
Ogbodo commended organisations and individuals working towards ending menstrual period stigma as well as ignorance and poverty of the girl child.
One of the participants, Ogechi Chukwuani, described the training as worthwhile and capable of reducing the cost of the sanitary pads to her father, who is blessed with four girls.
“I will further train my siblings on the production at home and through this move, we will reduce the money my father spends monthly on a sanitary pads in the home,’’ Chukwuani said.
NAN reports that the training and sensitization involved male and female participants.
The exercise was to commemorate the World Menstrual Hygiene Day, marked every May 28 globally, to create awareness about menstrual hygiene.
(NAN)
