2019 Menstrual Hygiene Day Workshops
Menstruation an important aspect of WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) and a daily reality for
millions of women and girls around the globe. A natural biological process, which should dignify women
and girls, has become a subject of shame that is rarely discussed. The silence is largely connected to the
several myths and stigmatization surrounding menstruation.
Recognizing the negative impacts of silence and myth around Menstruation on millions of women and
girls who see their monthly cycle, Hope Spring Water Charity foundation set to take action to break the
silence and demystify some of the myths and taboos associated with menstruation.
Hope Spring Water Charity Foundation initiated the pad bank initiative in 2017, under its Pad- Bank
project, to serve as a platform to end period poverty in Nigeria. One of the major objectives of the Pad-
Bank project is to promote menstrual hygiene amongst poor and unprivileged girls in Nigerian schools
and communities. Since its inception, over 20,000 women and girls have been directly or indirectly
empowered, through menstrual hygiene management (MHM) workshop in schools, health care Centre’s
and communities.
Hope Spring Water Charity Foundation through its partnership with lady care held menstrual hygiene
workshop in ten schools in five locations in Nigeria to mark the 2019 world Menstrual Hygiene day,
Themed “It’s time for action” The workshop which were interactive sessions aimed at breaking the
silence surrounding menstruation, entailed focus group discussions, question and answer sessions,
interview and one on one discussion. The sections were facilitated by medical experts from private and
public sectors, with the support of volunteers of Hope Spring Water. The workshops provided a platform
for participants to share their experiences and challenges about menstruation.
It is evident that most women and girls face several challenges during menstruation, inability to afford
sanitary pads, lack of sanitation and hand washing facilities in schools, stigmatization from the male
peers, and discrimination due to certain taboos and myth attached to menstruation. The participants
which included boys and girls were empowered with the right knowledge to shut down most of the
menstruation myths and about 6,000 Lady Care sanitary pads were distributed.
The highlight of the workshops was the making of the menstruation bracelets by the participants. The
bracelets were made with 28 beads, inclusive of 5 red beads to symbolize the menstrual cycle.
In order to sustain the progress made by the workshops, Hope Spring Water Charity Foundation
established WASH clubs in schools. Which will serve as a platform to continuously engage the students
on Menstrual Hygiene Management and raise menstrual hygiene champions who will serve as change
agents to demystify menstruation myths and taboos in their respective schools and communities. The
members of the WASH clubs will also drive campaigns to provide adequate sanitation and hygiene
facilities in their schools, so that school girls will have a convenient place to change and clean up during
menstruation. This would in no small measure, enhance equity, self-confidence and eradication of long
standing discrimination and societal norms that reinforce traditional roles and prejudice against the girl-
child
Hope Spring Water Charity Foundation is committed to reaching more schools and communities across
the country and is open to partnerships with organizations that share similar vision and are passionate
about impacting lives through WASH advocacy and education.
