Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD, MH Day in short) is an annual awareness day on May 28 to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management (MHM). It was initiated by the German-based NGO WASH United in 2014 and aims to benefit women and girls worldwide. The 28th of May was selected to acknowledge that 28 days is the average length of the menstrual cycle.
LEAH'S WORLD & AFEI as one of its core essence, to ensure that the girl child is empowered and given a voice in all facet of life, chose to commemorate the day with low-income girls at Ago-Ireti, Akure, Ondo state.
Ago Ireti Settlement is a colony of Lepers known as Ago Ireti (camp of hope) is situated at the outskirts of Akure the capital city of Ondo state.
From time immemorial, lepers were isolated from the larger society. This may be the reason for the popular Yoruba saying that “a leper’s house should be isolated, and located away from mainstream society.” LEAH'S WORLD INTERNATIONAL in conjunction with ASSURED FUTURE EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE chose the beneficiaries of this program from this settlement in order to beam a ray of hope and sense of belonging especially for the girl child.
Moreover, in developing countries like Nigeria, girls' and women's choices of menstrual hygiene materials are often limited by the costs, availability and social norms due to poverty and stigmatization.
The Convener of LEAH'S, WORLD INTERNATIONAL, Comr. Leah T. Akinfiresoye, opined that adequate sanitation facilities and access to feminine hygiene products are one part of the solution.
Creating a culture that welcomes discussion and makes adequate education for women and girls is of equal importance.
Temitope Kolawole
-Developmental Economist
-Founder,Assured Future Empowerment Initiative
Said, during an interview with men of the press, said that We should try and understand the peculiarity/sensitivity our environment. Until every one matters we must keep pressing forward for better society,leaving no one behind.
Temitope, also urge the participants during one of the sessions; to keep all hope alive. As much as their mind can contain is the quantum of success they can achieve.
They shouldn't see their location as a bottleneck rather an inspiration of restored hope to the community that gave birth to them; change will not come from anywhere, You all are the ones we've been waiting for
The program featured Games, mind mentoring, self-hygiene awareness, Menstrual Education, film show and distribution of hundreds of sanitary pads, tissue papers, bathing soaps, washing soaps, nose mask, snacks and drinks to put the icing on the cake
In line with the directive of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, The use of nose masks and hand sanitizers were strictly adhered to and social distancing was observed during the course of the program.
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