In order to educate girls in secondary school on how to maintain good hygiene practices, Black Girl Care Initiative has held a one-day sensitisation programme for some schools in Lagos.
The event was held in collaboration with the Nigerian Girls Guide Association, Lagos and it was part of the organisers’ activities to mark the 2021, 16 days activism.
Speaking at Ikeja Junior High School, venue of the event, Executive Director of Black Child Care Initiative, Cynthia Anuoluwapo Akinyemi said the enlightenment programme was ideal as it would educate girls on how to maintain proper hygiene during their monthly period.
While commending the Lagos State government on its efforts in ensuring that every girl in the state attends both primary and post-primary school, she appealed to other states particularly in the north to ensure their girls attend school.
According to her, when a girl is educated, she will not only take care of herself but also assist the parents in training her younger ones in the family.
In her words: “One of the challenges facing Nigerian girls is lack of education, a lot of girls particularly in the north do not go to school.
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“Time has come to train girls in school and that alone will bring about development. When a girl is educated, she will get married to a refined man and will contribute meaningfully to her family and the society at large.”
On the increased cases of rape and defilement in society, she urged the government to come up with stiffer punishment for the perpetrators, adding that such would serve as a deterrent.
On the other hand, she advised women and girls not to cover up perpetrators of this wicked act, saying that covering them would encourage them to continue in their wickedness.
‘’Survivors of rape should speak out, they should not keep silence, when they speak out, they will get justice,” she said.
Olori Bakare Olanrewaju of the Nigerian Girl Guide Association advised the girls to focus more on their academics so as to achieve their set goals in life.
The principal of Ikeja Junior High School, Maltida Olajumoke who also spoke at the event commended the organisers of the event describing it as an eye-opener.
She regretted that a lot of girls in society were being molested and abused. However, she appealed to mothers to ensure they take proper care of their female children and not to abandon them no matter the situation.
One of the high points of the event was the distribution of sanitary towels to over five hundred girls by Black Girl Care Initiative.
