Pad A Girl
Welcome to Our Pad-A-Girl Campaign Page
A lot of young girls are suffering what is called period poverty; a situation where a menstruator does not have access to quality menstrual products, is not exposed to adequate menstrual education and lacks sanitation infrastructure at home, school and public places.
It is on record that 1.2 billion women/girls across the world do not have access to basic sanitation during their periods. And this has resort to unhygienic practices like using tissue paper, old rags or newspapers in place of pads. This can cause anxiety, depression, infection, infertility and damaged self-esteem. The UN children’s agency, UNICEF, estimate that one in 10 African girls miss school during their periods, and often drop out of school.
And, a lot of our local dwellers in Nigeria suffer this situation during menstruation. We have come across a lot of young girls who think life is unfair with them because they cannot afford sanitary pads during menstruation. It is like a nightmare to them when they realize that their period is going to happen in few days or hours. This has aroused social concern among underserved young girls and parents, who wish for assistance from individual and organizations.
As a result, we at the Centre for Creative Development Strategies (CCDS) started advocating for menstruators since November 2021; so that they can enjoy equal opportunities to have access to sanitary pads. We are a non-governmental organization which was founded in 2006 and legally registered on the 10th of March 2009 under the Corporate Affairs Commission with the registration number CAC/IT/NO 31616.
Over the years, we have successfully managed donor funded projects with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), The Foundation for Partnerships in the Niger Delta (PIND), The Global Fund, May & Baker Nigeria PLC, The Embassy of France in Nigeria, World Bank and TrustAfrica, to bring meaningful development in our Niger Delta region. We are also partners on the European Union Agents for Citizens Driven Transformation (EU-ACT) Project facilitated by the British Council. From inception, our intervention programs have impacted positively on over 4000 adolescent girls.
We want to ensure that the health of these young girls are protected, and as well help them overcome the anxiety, depression and low self-esteem they face on daily basis.
At the Centre for Creative Development Strategies, we have successfully carried out “pad a girl” campaigns, training and facilitations in secondary schools, training centres and hubs.
Our “PAD A GIRL CAMPAIGN 2023” aims at helping young girls overcome period poverty – as earlier stated; it is when a girl cannot afford good menstrual products, is not adequately exposed to menstrual hygiene education and lacks basic sanitation infrastructure at home, school and public places. We are committed to ensure responsibility and advocacy for a sustainable menstrual health and hygiene education for menstruators.
We are leading an implementation to provide period products to over 1000 girls and organizing pad making workshops to about 3000 girls and women. Our commitment to this empowerment programme is to engage our society to take action for these menstruators, of which we strongly believe that would participate, to partner with us to make this project a reality.
Moreover, our campaign pioneers and motivates menstrual justice advocacy. This is system whereby we encourage our society to ensure that menstruators are accorded the necessary care and support they need during menstruation. Menstruation is not a taboo. It is a natural endowment, and should be seen as such, hence body shaming and stigmas should completely be eradicated; thereby making the experience more comfortable and enjoyable.
In regards to the above, we call on you to support our project, to ensure that the girl next door is cared for while menstruating. We are donating menstrual products to over 1000 girls and organizing pad making workshops to about 3000 girls and women. Hence, we humbly request you to partner with us and support us to achieve these objectives. You can support as an individual or as an organization. This request carries our utmost gratitude for you philanthropic gestures.
>> Learn more about our Menstrual Equity Project