By JKNewsMedia
MENSTRUAL HYGIENE is receiving focused attention in Benue State’s Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps as a new grassroots initiative champions dignity and health for displaced women and girls.
Dubbed “Pad Me A Girl” project, led by GATMASH MEDIA in collaboration with Access Bank, the team has joined forces with the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (Benue-SEMA) to distribute reusable sanitary pads and essential items in Ortese and other IDP camps.
Theresa Moses, convener of the campaign, delivered a compelling message during a visit to Benue-SEMA headquarters in Makurdi.
She voiced concern over the glaring disparity in public health awareness—highlighting how male-targeted campaigns, such as those promoting condom use, receive far greater visibility and funding than menstrual hygiene for women.
Her remarks followed a team journey from Lagos to Benue, driven by distressing reports of the daily struggles faced by displaced women.
Moses, also a journalist, explained that the reusable sanitary pads—washable and lasting up to one year—offer a cost-effective, sustainable alternative to disposable options.
The initiative not only addresses affordability but also tackles environmental waste, she stressed.
Backed by Access Bank, Checkers Custard, Vita Baites Foods, GATMASH NEWS, and the Jeffrey Kuraun Foundation, the campaign promises continuity as long as IDP camps remain occupied.
A key feature of the effort is the planned establishment of a “Pad Bank,” a dedicated stockpile to support new arrivals with menstrual supplies and related essentials.
The outreach also extended to school-age children, with the distribution of exercise books and pens underscoring the project’s holistic approach to community upliftment.
With approval sought to begin sensitisation activities at Ortese IDP camp as a pilot phase, the team has laid groundwork for future, broader engagements.
Representing Benue-SEMA’s Executive Secretary, Sir James Iorpuu, the agency’s Head of Administration, Donald Komgbenda, welcomed the intervention.
He acknowledged the healthcare void left by the absence of “Doctors Without Borders” in the camps, and praised the initiative as a timely solution to a critical gap in hygiene and public health education.
Komgbenda reaffirmed Benue-SEMA’s commitment to partnerships that align with Governor Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia’s vision for IDP welfare, asserting that the project would help alleviate the financial strain of accessing menstrual products.
Moses also noted that the partnership between Pad Me A Girl Initiative and Benue-SEMA signals continued support for menstrual hygiene and educational needs within IDP camps in Benue State.
