Every year, civil society organizations celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day on the 28th of May. The day is set aside to create awareness about girls' and women's health as it affects their monthly cycle. Menstrual Hygiene Day also highlights the importance of proper hygiene.
To commemorate the day, the Charity Services & Gender Community Development Service (CDS) hosted a learning session for girls at the Aliyu Musdafa college in Yola. CDS groups are made up of young Nigerian graduates undergoing one year mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
An NYSC member serving in the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Bitwul Dashe, led the community development service group and also distributed sanitary materials to the girls.
They were taught how to keep clean during their menstrual period, how to deal with cramps and period-related issues, also how to properly wear pads and dispose of them after use.
Mallam Tukur, the principal of the school thanked them for their charitable service. "We are happy that the NYSC has come to teach the girls about menstrual hygiene.
This is one of the challenges most girls face". He said.
"Menstrual hygiene should be discussed without shame. We are happy and grateful to have been given this avenue to teach these girls in the small way we can," Mercy Demsa, the CDS officer said.
Aisha Aminu Tukur, a student of SS2c said she learned that "exercising can help ease menstrual cramps. And also not to be ashamed of my menstrual cycle. It is a normal way of life for a woman"
The girls were happy to have the discussion. Aside from the pads, distributed gifts were given to those who answered questions correctly.
Reported by Nancy Gagare