Wife of Anambra State Governor, Dr. Nonye Soludo has restated her commitment to promoting and protecting fundamental objectives of right health under her Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Initiative.
Mrs Soludo stated this on Wednesday at the governor’s lodge during the launching of Pad Banks In Anambra Schools as part of activities marking this year’s international Day of Girl’s Child.
She announced that over 1000 sanitary pads would be distributed to 400 schools across the state.
She said the gesture was targeted at promoting menstrual hygiene in secondary schools where Healthy Living Clubs were domiciled.
Soludo’s wife further hinted subsequent distributions would be carried out at the beginning of each academic term, with enough supplies to last throughout a particular academic calendar.
According to her, one of the significant goals of her Healthy Living crusade was to explore smart avenues and rekindle consciousness of self-belief and knowledge of individual potentials of the girl child.
She said, “We are celebrating this year’s International Day of the Girl Child with a clear understanding of the challenges before our girls in their pursuits of safe and great future.
“We are also looking at the possibilities out there for the girls and how they can take hold of them. But the truth is that these opportunities are limited, and distorted largely because of so many household obstacles.
“Every girl has the fundamental right to live and succeed. Once we deny them these rights, we have taken a backward step that will ultimately have damaging effects on our society.
“We are also teaching them the rules of hygiene, nutrition and self development. Nutrition and personal hygiene are, of course, two of the five pillars of our Crusade.
“We see them as an important process for child development. In the area of hygiene, we are also looking at menstrual hygiene and the overall health education of women and girls, especially those in the low income class.
She added, “Recognizing these fundamental facts, I’m glad to announce today that Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo has taken a step further to promote menstrual hygiene in secondary schools where Healthy Living Clubs are domiciled.
“We have concluded arrangements to provide Sanitary Pad Banks (Pad Banks) in over four hundred secondary schools across Anambra State where our clubs are currently operating.
“Accessibility to primary hygiene needs like sanitary pads remains a major concern in rural homes. It gets even worse when menstrual emergencies break out in schools. Therefore, we want to intervene where it matters the most.
“Today, we will be distributing over one thousand sanitary pads to our schools to kick off the campaign. Subsequent distributions will be done at the beginning of each academic term, with enough supplies to last throughout a particular academic calendar.
“By opening the shelves and lockers where these sanitary pads would be kept, we wish to restore girl child confidence and beat down stigmas arising from menstrual emergencies.
“We also want to create a perfect environment for every girl child to grow happily in without having to be scared of what will happen next.
“Our Pad Banks will give equal opportunities to girls from every social class, and build a hygiene bond that will last beyond the school walls. It is, however, worthy to note that every girl child – in her menstrual age – attending a school where these Pad Banks are accessible, can equally access them. Our commitment is universal, and we want to keep it so.
“The statistics of girls and women in their reproductive age brackets with access to basic menstrual requirements are begging for better attention. This is our own way of paying attention.
“We want to ensure that every school girl can reach her dreams without being afraid of her environment and the people who make it unhealthy to grow in.”
Earlier, Anambra State HIV/AIDS Coordinator, Dr Tonia Mbagwu underscored the need to recognise the potential of the adolescent girl by advocating for increased opportunities for them.
Also speaking, daughter of the Governor, Miss Adaora Soludo, urged girls to pick up life skills early in life to become problem solvers and self-reliant.
“Learn communication skills, problem solving skills, critical thinking, be confident and creative to adapt and survive life challenges,” she said.
An ICT Expert, Ms Chinwe Okolie, urged the girls to take advantage of the state government’s Solution Innovation District to become empowered with information and communication technology skills.
“The world today is about technology and our girls need to learn digital skills to become tech-gurus, impact their future and earn a living.
“I urge our girls to empower themselves with digital skills such as the use of devices like a computer, tablet or mobile phone for task. An empowered girl is intelligent, a goal-getter and an achiever,”she said
