Nigeria’s First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, under the umbrella of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), has launched a significant menstrual health intervention in Owerri, themed: “Flow With Confidence.” This ambitious programme aims to provide a one-year supply of customised disposable sanitary pads to 370,000 schoolgirls residing in rural communities across the nation. To bolster local industry and promote domestic production, the RHI procured these sanitary pads, valued at N2.5 billion, from a Nigerian company, Uniglory Nigeria Ltd.

Speaking at the launch, the First Lady, represented by the wife of Imo governor, Mrs. Chioma Uzodinma, underscored the critical importance of the initiative. She emphasised that no girl should ever miss school due to the inability to afford sanitary products, deeming it unacceptable for girls to be absent from classes because of menstrual issues. The programme is designed to address the stark reality that many girls in rural areas fall behind in their studies or even drop out of school because they cannot access or afford sanitary pads each month.

The distribution strategy involves each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) receiving 10,000 packs of the sanitary pads. These will be distributed specifically to deserving girls in rural communities, with the overarching goal of supporting their education and ensuring continuity in their learning. The RHI firmly believes in empowering every girl, asserting that “no girl should ever have to choose between her dignity and her education,” highlighting the fundamental link between menstrual health and academic success.

For the programme to achieve lasting success, the First Lady stressed the vital need for robust community ownership. She made a direct appeal to local government area chairmen, urging them to take full ownership of the intervention to guarantee that the supplies reach the intended beneficiaries effectively. Furthermore, she called upon traditional and religious leaders to actively monitor the distribution exercise within their communities, strictly prohibiting the sale of these pads under any circumstances to ensure they remain accessible and free for the girls.

The “Flow With Confidence” programme commenced with a simultaneous launch in eight states: Borno, Cross River, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kebbi, and Lagos. Other states are slated to follow suit as soon as they receive their respective supplies. In a final charge to the beneficiaries, Mrs. Tinubu encouraged them to remain in school, study diligently, support one another, and never allow shame or stigma related to menstruation to diminish their confidence or hinder their educational journey.