First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has donated 10,000 sanitary pads to schoolgirls in Oyo State through her Renewed Hope Initiative.
She explained that the gesture is part of efforts to empower young girls and ensure they maintain dignity, confidence, and proper menstrual hygiene.
Speaking in Ibadan, the state capital while handing over the pads to beneficiaries across the 33 local governments of the state on Monday, Mrs Tinubu, who was represented at the event by the wife of Oyo State governor, Mrs Tamunomini Makinde, maintained that no girl should have to miss school because of the inability to afford sanitary products in today’s modern world.
She said, “It is unacceptable that our girls continue to face significant challenges during their menstrual cycle, especially those in rural communities who miss school days every month because they cannot afford sanitary pads.
“Some of our girls are using unsafe and unhygienic alternatives, while others stay at home, falling behind in their studies, and in some cases even dropping out of school. This trend must end, and this intervention under the education framework of the Renewed Hope Initiative is aimed at doing so.
“We will be distributing disposable sanitary pads to 370,000 school girls in communities across the nation at the end of this programme.
“All states and the federal capital territories will be receiving 10,000 pads each through the state’s First Lady and the Renewed Hope Initiative coordinator. This is to support our girls and those who are unable to afford sanitary pads.
Today, I will be handing over 10,000 sanitary pads. As you can see, all the girls seated in this auditorium already have them, and this is the one plus some others that we cannot bring all here.
“We’ll be going to all 33 local government areas for distribution. So today, I will be handing over 10,000 pads of disposable sanitary pads for distribution to 10,000 deserving girls across all your states. We choose disposable sanitary pads because they’re affordable.
It is because it offers a simple, hygienic option that offers better health benefits for women’s reproductive well-being. For us at the Renewed Hope Initiative, we believe that no girl should ever have to choose between her dignity and her education. The success of Flow with Confidence programs depends on all of us.
“I want to especially appeal to the executive chairmen of local government areas, given your critical position as the arm of government closest to the people and your role in delivering essential services. You must take ownership of this intervention. Scale it up and ensure these supplies get directly to the deserving girls in our rural communities.
“The pads are not to be sold under any circumstances. Now, the Renewed Hope Initiative spent a total of 2,550,297,150 Naira to procure these customised disposable sanitary pads from a local manufacturing company.”
She urged traditional, religious and community leaders to monitor the distribution in their communities and ensure to support the girls to grow into responsible and informed adults.
“To our dear students and beneficiaries, this is for you. All this is for you. Make the most of it and do not sell the pads. Stay in school, study hard, support one another, and never allow shame or stigma to take away your confidence.
