Pad a Girl Project (PAGP)
PAD INNOVATION PROJECT
The Pad Innovation Project is an initiative under Teen-Girls’ Sphere, a community-based organization aiming to bridge gender divides and support the continuous education and development of young schoolgirls in some of the most deprived regions of Nigeria.
Period poverty is a pronounced problem in low-income communities, as young girls routinely stay away from school due to a lack of sanitary products, social stigmas/taboos, and a lack of access to hygienic washroom facilities, among other factors. This significantly contributes to the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, as many schoolgirls spend days at home during their menstrual period, missing out on school activities, which directly impacts their studies.
As of 2021, in Nigeria, over 37 million women and girls of reproductive age lack access to menstrual hygiene products due to a lack of funds, according to the National Democracy and Health Survey. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has decried the number of out-of-school girls in the country, stating that over 60 percent of the 10 million out-of-school children in Nigeria are girls.
The Pad Innovation Project aims to provide lifelong skills and sustainable solutions to Period Poverty and its adverse effects on the educational trajectory of young schoolgirls in underserved communities in Nigeria.
PROJECT PURPOSE
Studies have shown that 6 out of every 10 schoolgirls in underserved communities routinely stay away from school during their monthly menstrual flow due to period poverty. Period poverty has adverse effects on girls’ mental health, and as learners, it affects their ability to concentrate in the classroom. These reasons have significant implications for their educational trajectory, ultimately contributing to the high number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, a large proportion of whom are teenage girls. This severely hampers girls’ education, leading many to drop out of school and miss out on the opportunity for a better life.
For many girls in underserved communities, the onset of menstruation is not just another aspect of puberty; it further marginalizes them, perpetuating gender divides in society. Additionally, there has been an increase in teenage pregnancy as some girls engage in sexual activities for money to purchase sanitary products. Many schoolgirls struggle with menstrual hygiene management due to period poverty, resorting to using tissue, socks, papers, and other makeshift materials during their menstrual flow, which is detrimental to their menstrual health and overall well-being.
Furthermore, sexuality education is not being taught in public secondary schools, contributing to the rise in teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, poor menstrual hygiene management, and other complications. Sexuality education is crucial for teenagers, and the lack of this knowledge from a reliable source forces teens to seek it from potentially unsafe sources. Implementing sexuality education in the school curriculum is essential to help young people reduce the risk of negative outcomes. In an effort to address the ripple effects of these negative outcomes on the educational trajectory of female learners in underserved communities, the ‘Pad Innovation Project’ was launched. This project aims to empower and educate schoolgirls in low-income communities to tackle period poverty and reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy.
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