LEADTOTS Advocates for Pad Banks in Bauchi Schools to Support Girl Child Education
By Abubakar Hardawa
A Bauchi-based non-governmental organization, LeadTots Development Initiative, has called for the establishment of pad banks in both formal and non-formal schools to ensure uninterrupted education for girls.
The initiative aims to address the challenges faced by adolescent girls during mensuration, which often hinder their academic progress.
LeadTots Development Initiative is currently implementing an Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Education Project, funded by Global Affairs Canada through Plan International in Bauchi.
During a one-day roundtable discussion on resource mobilization for the establishment of pad banks, the Executive Director of the organization, Nicholas Oshojah Afeso, emphasized the project’s goal of improving reproductive health for girls, women, and vulnerable groups.
Afeso urged key stakeholders to support the initiative, stressing the importance of enabling adolescent girls to attend school without disruptions caused by mensuration.
He highlighted the need for collective efforts to champion this cause and ensure that girls can pursue their education without barriers.
In a presentation titled *”The Importance of Pad Banks in Schools and Challenges Faced by Students During Mensuration,”* health practitioner, Mrs. Rifkatu Ibrahim Joga noted that World Menstrual Hygiene Day was first celebrated globally on May 28, 2013, to raise awareness about menstrual health.
Mrs. Joga, who is also a nurse and social worker, revealed that adolescent girls often miss 4 to 5 days of school each month due to mensuration.
She identified several challenges, including the lack of sanitary pads, clean toilets, and running water, which pose significant threats to girls’ education.
Mrs. Joga also pointed out that stigma and cultural taboos surrounding mensuration further hinder girls from realizing their full potential.
In another presentation, *”The Role of Government in Financing and Advancing Menstrual Hygiene Management in Schools,”* Mr. Danjuma Moses Kusko emphasized that the provision of pad banks would improve school enrollment, retention, and completion rates among girls.
He called on the government to develop policy frameworks, allocate budgets, and launch awareness campaigns to reduce the stigma associated with mensuration.
Kusko expressed concern over the limited funding allocated to education and health sectors, as well as the lack of coordination among stakeholders.
He advocated for the provision of free or low-cost sanitary pads to reduce absenteeism among schoolgirls.
Participants at the event pledged their support for the initiative, committing to raise awareness and advocate for the establishment of pad banks in schools.
The meeting also featured the donation of pad banks to selected secondary schools, with attendees including representatives from civil society organizations, NGOs, academia, faith-based organizations, persons living with disabilities (PLWD), and the media.
The initiative marks a significant step toward ensuring that girls in Bauchi State can pursue their education without the obstacles posed by menstrual health challenges.
