Nollywood
actressand humanitarian, Tonto Dikeh, on Monday takes awareness onmenstrual
hygiene management and distributes sanitary pads to students of Girls Secondary School,Dutse in the Federal
Capital Territory (FCT).
Thethespian told newsmen that the
gesture was to mark the 2018Menstrual Hygiene Day(MHD) for the young girls by the Tonto DikehFoundation.
According to her, the Foundation, which is her
humanitarian initiative, empowers and provides medical assistance to young
women, especially the vulnerable ones.
She noted
that since many teenage girls were not well enlightened on how their body
works, they remained ignorant and even fallen prey to tendencies that endanger
their lives.
“Creating a culture that welcomes discussion and
makes adequate education for girls is very importance for the girl child.
“Their
building process involves everyone, because it goes beyond the classroom ,especially
on sensitive things about womanhood and how to manage them.
“There are a lot of misconceptions and myths
which has misguided a lot of young girls that made them to make regrettable
mistakes about their health.
“It
is high time people they see as role models and listen to, stood up and guild
them , and that is what the Tonto Dikah Foundation has come to do today,”she
said.
She
noted that her foundation decided to provide the sanitary pads as respite to
the female students,since their peculiar nature makes their upkeep financiall-
involving than their male counterparts.
“According to experts, depending on the flow,
the pad ought to be changed six-hourly, and this requires a lot of money for an
adolescent to follow.
“Research has showned that not having access to
menstrual hygiene management products can keep girls at home from school during their period each
month.
“Beside
the enlightenment campaign, we offering them free sanitary pads, and we believe
this will go along way in making them comfortable,” Dikeh said.
Volunteer
medical and public health experts of the Tonto Dikeh Foundation had interactive
sessions with the students,where they were given opportunities to ask questions
on female health.
The
students were thought how to use pads
and dispose them, wash thier body, and handle menstraul pains,and were also
advised to avoid self medication whenever they are having a heakthl challenge.
The high point of the
event was when the creative and humorous ones among the students took their
turns to dance and present comedy to the admiration of their visiting model and
celebrity.
Menstrual Hygiene Day(MHD),also known as MH Day or Menstrual Health Day,marked on May 28, is an annual awareness day to
highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management.
It was
initiated by the German-based NGO ‘Wash United’ in 2014, and aims to benefit
women and girls worldwide.
The 28th was selected to acknowledge that 28 days
is the average length of the menstrual cycle.
The day recommends advocacy on adequate sanitation facilities and
access to menstrual hygiene products as parts of the solution.
