PADBANK, a humanitarian initiative combating period poverty in Cross River State, held an outreach at Community Secondary School, Ikot Ewa, in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, raising awareness on menstrual hygiene and donating sanitary pads to students. The outreach took place on Thursday September 25, 2025.
The coordinator of PADBANK, Archibong Bassey FRGP, emphasized the project’s goal to restore dignity to young girls and prevent educational disruption caused by menstrual challenges. “I was once a teenager, and I understand the struggles that come with menstrual hygiene. No girl asked for a menstrual cycle, so none should be humiliated or dehumanised because of it,” Bassey said.
She highlighted the ongoing issue in rural areas where many girls use unsafe and unhygienic means to manage menstruation, leading to infections, psychological trauma, and school absenteeism. “Menstruation should not be the reason a child abandons her education or hides in shame,” she added. “When girls miss school every month because they lack sanitary towels, it affects their future and by extension the development of society.”
READ ALSO: Cross River Secures Historic Partnership With Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, Zaria
Since the project’s launch, 250 girls aged 12 to 18 have received sanitary pads. PADBANK aims to distribute 80,000 pads across 12 communities within a year, with a long-term goal of establishing sustainable menstrual hygiene programs in schools and communities.
Currently self-funded, PADBANK’s coordinator appealed for partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, faith-based organizations, and individuals to sustain the initiative. “Every pad we give out is an investment in the future of a girl,” Bassey noted. She also called for open conversations about menstrual health to break societal taboos.
“Talking about menstruation should not be a taboo. It is natural, and the earlier we normalise these conversations, the better for our girls,” she said.
Ukoroebi Essien, PADBANK’s Public Relations Officer, spoke to the students about menstrual health as a necessity, not a luxury. “When girls miss school or lose confidence because they cannot manage their periods, society loses too. PADBANK is committed to changing that narrative in Cross River and beyond,” he said.
The outreach featured a sensitisation session on menstrual hygiene management alongside the pad distribution, empowering young girls to maintain their education and dignity.
