NecBullion charity foundation led by Chijioke Nwadavid of West Africa Youth Council: ECOWAS, is collaborating with foremost international sanitary pad manufacturer, Molped Nigeria, to distribute 1,500 sanitary pads to young girls in the rural communities of Southeastern Nigeria.
The charitable Chijioke Nwadavid, through his foundation, has been in the fore front of campaign for the provision of basic needs, including education for the underprivileged and people living in rural communities.
The philanthropist’s ideology over the years is that access to the basic needs of life would empower rural dwellers to contribute to the meaningful development of their immediate environment and the society as a whole.
Establishing the motivation behind the drive to utilize his personal resources for the benefit of others, he pointed out that “for each one you teach and provide for each day, it cuts down the number of people looking for negative alternatives just for a full belly and status”.
The campaign, which is centered on young females, will also include sensitization on healthy hygiene, creating awareness around the need for period education to young girls, their families and community leaders and distribution of diapers to nursing mothers in Enugu State.
According to the organisers, the donation and awareness campaign will be spread to selected LEA schools, Urban Girls Secondary School Awgu, Girls Secondary School Mgbowo and Girls high school Mgbowo within the state.
Chijioke Nwadavid is also eager to use the outreach to educate the public on the importance of reaching out to those in need, and propagate his philosophy, that giving is not just to meet the insufficiency of the beneficiaries, but the satisfaction and fulfillment that accompanies reaching out to others.
Banishing the thoughts and stereotypes that people have about girls and menstruation, the NecBullion Charity Foundation leader said: “There is nothing unnatural about a girl having her period, it’s so sad to know that even in today’s technocentric world, many in rural communities unfortunately still attribute a girl’s period to witchcraft, an abomination or a curse.
“Most girls are punished or isolated for having periods which is wrong and must be stopped. Periods are normal and part of life for a growing young woman. Some women flow each month for about two to seven days (this is dependent on her body as well as external factors). Yet, as ordinary or regular as it is, menstruation is stigmatized around the world.”
He emphasized the need to provide young girls with the right information about the changes in their body, and how to handle menstrual cramp, rather than hold on to unfounded religious beliefs.
“It is imperative that young girls as well as members of the community are given correct information about the bodies of growing young women. With adequate information disseminated, young girls can truly understand not just how their bodies work but how to know when something is wrong and seek appropriate help.
“Many young girls are told to either pray or wait out whatever pain they may be feeling especially in regards to menstrual cramps, some women or young girls need strong painkillers or possibly medical admission just to either get through the first two days or in some rare cases the full five to seven days,” stated Chijioke Nwadavid.
On the risk of infection among the young women in the rural areas due to unhygienic handling of menstrual circle, he noted that NecBullion charity foundation team, volunteers and Molped Nigeria will provide guidance on basic things “such as counting the calendar, changing one’s pad frequently, washing up properly, what to use and what not to use, discarding of used napkins.”
