By Violet Isek
Brencare foundation, a non-governmental organization (NGO) with a focus on sexuality education, entrepreneurship and education has tasked Secondary school students in Bakassi local government area of southern Cross River State to take pride in their menstrual cycle.
A team from the foundation gave the charge during a one day sensitization visit to the Government Secondary School in Bakassi as part of activities to mark the 2018 Menstrual Hygiene Day celebrated worldwide on May 28 every year.
The day was set aside by an NGO in Germany, WASH UNITED NGO in 2014 and the Brencare Foundation which said the aim was to create awareness on menstruation and menstrual hygiene also told CrossRiverWatch that it shifted the sensitization to May 30th due to the national holidays on May 28 and 29th, 2018.
The theme for this year’s celebration is ‘No More Limits.’
And, the team who lectured the students on menstrual health told them to stop the silence and shyness often attributed to young girls and women when they menstruate.
The students, who shared their menarche experience and their menstrual hygiene, were also asked to make pledges which they inscribed on placards.
Some read: “I will break the silence on menstruation,” “I will not feel shy, I will take pride,” “I will spread the word outside and inside the home” and “I will use pad not tissue.”
Sanitary towels were distributed to the students and they were encouraged to maintain proper hygiene during menstruation and the team also encouraged the school management to provide adequate toilet facilities for them to enable their use when necessary.