PAD A GIRL Project

Project Date: 9th March 2025
Location: Cross River State, Nigeria
Thematic Area: Women & Girl-Child Empowerment

Overview

On 9th March 2025, the Education and Empowerment for the Needy Foundation (EEN Foundation) successfully carried out its PAD A GIRL Project, a strategic intervention aimed at promoting menstrual hygiene, dignity, and confidence among adolescent girls in underserved communities.
This initiative was designed to address a long-standing yet often overlooked challenge—period poverty—which continues to limit the wellbeing, school attendance, and self-esteem of thousands of young girls across Nigeria.

Project Objective

The PAD A GIRL Project was created to:

• Provide girls with access to quality menstrual hygiene products
• Reduce school absenteeism caused by lack of sanitary materials
• Educate girls on menstrual hygiene, body confidence, and self-care
• Break the stigma surrounding menstruation
• Promote gender equality by ensuring that no girl is held back by a natural biological process

Project Activities

1. Distribution of Sanitary Pads & Hygiene Kits

The EEN Foundation team distributed a significant number of sanitary pads and basic hygiene kits to young girls, ensuring they had the necessary materials to manage their menstrual cycle with dignity, safety, and comfort.
Each beneficiary received:

• A pack of sanitary pads
• A small hygiene kit (soap, wipes, and disposal bags)
• Educational leaflets on menstrual health

2. Menstrual Health Education Session

A key component of the project was an interactive learning session facilitated by health educators and members of the EEN Foundation team.
Topics covered included:

• Understanding the menstrual cycle
• Proper sanitary pad use and disposal
• Hygiene practices during menstruation
• Debunking myths and harmful cultural beliefs
• Building self-confidence and body positivity

The session created a safe space for the girls to ask questions freely—many of them speaking openly about menstruation for the first time.

3. Empowerment & Motivational Talk

The team engaged the girls in conversations about self-worth, personal development, dreams, and resilience.
This session highlighted the message that:
“Your period should never stop your purpose.”

Impact

The PAD A GIRL Project touched the lives of hundreds of adolescent girls, giving them the tools and knowledge to navigate menstruation confidently and hygienically. Key outcomes included:

• Increased awareness and understanding of menstrual hygiene
• Reduced stigma and improved openness about menstruation
• Provision of essential materials to girls who previously lacked access
• Strengthened community trust and engagement

Conclusion

The PAD A GIRL Project reflects EEN Foundation’s commitment to uplifting young girls and championing gender equity. By providing sanitary materials and menstrual health education, the Foundation is helping to ensure that no girl is forced to miss school or feel ashamed due to her period.

EEN Foundation remains dedicated to expanding this intervention across more schools and communities, driving long-term change, one girl at a time.