CODE seeks end to period poverty with use of reusable pads

Connected Development (CODE), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), has partnered a fashion house, HUMANx, to end period poverty among girls with the use of reusable pads. The Founder of CODE, Hamzat Lawal, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organisations, said that the need for girls in remote communities to […]

Connected Development (CODE), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), has partnered a fashion house, HUMANx, to end period poverty among girls with the use of reusable pads.

The Founder of CODE, Hamzat Lawal, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organisations, said that the need for girls in remote communities to have access to pads is important to allow them carry out their daily activities during menstruation.

“Globally, 1.5 million people worldwide lack adequate menstrual products and hygiene facilities. In Nigeria, over 30 million girls do not have access to menstrual hygiene products. In schools, they don’t even have WASH facilities, and in most cases, when girls are on their period, they lose five to seven active days of education. This is unacceptable.

“Today, what we seek to achieve is to ensure that girls in remote communities have access to reusable pads, made locally. We hope that this can help to ensure that we reduce infectious diseases, and girls, when they’re on their period, can actually go to school and continue to learn and do not skip school,” Lawal said.

The founder of CODE said that with information sharing they can raise awareness, to ensure men join the fight to end period poverty, adding that menstruation is a natural phenomenon.

“I believe this will also help to reduce the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, and ensure that communities are not forgotten. The bigger picture is not just about pads, it is about freedom to pursue education. It is about not feeling embarrassed or scared because you are experiencing a natural occurrence,” he said.

Explaining the organisation’s reason for partnering with CODE, Gbemi Elekula, Founder HUMANx, said they trusted in the capability of CODE to reach out to the underserved communities.

“We design and we produce clothes, and then, we make a profit from it. From this, we make reusable pads, and then we take them to the underserved communities and distribute them to the females there.