BY JENNIFER JOHN / OWERRI
.
Wife of President Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi, has officially launched the “Flow with Confidence” Menstrual Hygiene Intervention Programme, a nationwide initiative under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) designed to empower school girls by promoting knowledge, dignity, and confidence through improved menstrual health.
.
The programme which was flagged-off simultaneously in Borno, Cross River, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Kebbi, Lagos, and Imo States, will see the distribution of 370,000 packs of disposable sanitary pads to schoolgirls in rural communities across Nigeria. Each state, including the Federal Capital Territory, will receive 10,000 packs for free distribution through their First Ladies and RHI Coordinators.
.
Speaking at the launch in Owerri, the wife of the President represented by the First Lady of Imo State Barr. Chioma Uzodimma emphasized that no girl should miss school because of her inability to afford sanitary products. She decried the challenges many girls face—resorting to unsafe alternatives or staying at home during their menstrual cycle—which often leads to absenteeism and, in some cases, school dropouts.
.
“This trend must end,” she declared, stressing that the intervention is aimed at changing the narrative by giving girls the dignity and confidence they deserve. She further announced the handover of 10,000 packs of disposable sanitary pads to deserving schoolgirls in rural communities across Imo State.
.
The Renewed Hope Initiative invested ₦2.55 billion in procuring the pads from a local manufacturer in Lagos, in a bid to also promote indigenous production. Senator Oluremi Tinubu appealed to Local Government Chairmen to take ownership of the project, scale it up, and ensure the supplies reach the intended beneficiaries, warning that the pads must not be sold under any circumstance.
.
She also called on corporate organizations, agencies, parastatals, and well-meaning Nigerians to support the program in order to reach more girls, while urging traditional, religious, and community leaders to monitor distribution in their localities.
.
Addressing the beneficiaries, she encouraged students to make the most of the support, remain focused on their studies, and never allow stigma or shame to undermine their confidence.
.
“With this initiative, we commit to the dignity, well-being, and future of every Nigerian girl,” she concluded before officially flagging off the nationwide distribution of the Flow with Confidence Menstrual Hygiene Pack.
Comment here