Endometriosis Campaign: ESIF Supports School Girls In Kosofe With Sanitary Pads

LAGOS – A school-based initiative in Lagos State is educating young girls on menstruation and hygiene and distributing free sanitary pads to reduce period poverty. Under the auspices of EndoSurvivors International Foundation, ESIF, the flagship initiative tagged, “The FreePeriods Campaign”, a Non – governmental organisation, is promoting menstrual well-being among 2,000 adolescent girls in 10 secondary schools in Kosofe LGA in Lagos State.

Olivia Nwankudu, Founder, Executive of the ESIF, said the campaign will run for five weeks from September 25 through October 29, this year.

Nwankudu explained that, “the school outreaches was approved by the Lagos State Ministry of Education and Lagos State Ministry of Health and this being the sixth in its series will provide free menstrual hygiene supplies to the school girls and educate them on what a normal period should look or feel like.

“Globally, the condition affects 1 in 10 women and largely under diagnosed as it takes an average of 7-10years for women to get a correct diagnosis assuring that the campaign towards young school girls will tackle the problem of late diagnosis of the condition in Nigeria.

“It will ensure that every girl understands her menstrual health and feels empowered to manage it with dignity”.

She pointed out that, adequate menstrual health awareness will foster early detection of reproductive health issues like endometriosis, a disease where tissue similar to the endometrial lining grows outside the uterus, causing debilitating symptoms like painful periods and chronic pelvic pain.

“There will be interactive sessions that will deliver into the knitting gritty of endometriosis, when and how to ask for help, promote menstrual wellbeing and alleviate period poverty” She said

Responding, the Director and Head, Guidance and Counseling Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Education District 2, Mrs Bolanle F. Adeniyi, expressed gratitude to the organisers and their partners, saying the initiative will impact positively on the personal, menstrual hygiene, and overall health of the female students.

“The benefiting schools are, Mende Senior High School, Maryland, Labeo Comprehensive College, Ifako Gbagada, Ikosi Senior High School, Ikosi and Alapere Comprehensive High School,

Kosofe Senior College and Muslim Senior College, Oworoshoki.

Others are, Aiyedere Ajibola Snr. Grammar School, Ketu, Eva Adelaja Snr Girls Grammar School, Bariga, Angus Senior Memorial High School, Somolu, and Gbagada Senior Grammar School.