Stakeholders applaud UNICEF intervention on personal hygiene to schoolgirls in Adamawa

From Umar Dankano,Yola

Critical stakeholders in education sector have expressed gratitude with the continued support and interventions being rendered by UNICEF in Adamawa state.

Teachers and schoolchildren registered their appreciation during a field visitation by team of UNICEF officials and journalists to some schools in Jada and Guyuk local government areas to observe the impact of the training to curb the incidences of stigmatization, non attendance of school, non adherance to hygiene during menstrual periods and other harmful practices.

The training for the stakeholders was funded by the Netherlands Directorate-General for International CooperationAccelerated Sanitation and Water for All programme ll (DGIS-ASWA

II) in conjunction with UNICEF.

Teachers, male and female schoolchildren were trained on the need to adhere to best practices in Adamawa State especially on personal hygiene of female schoolchildren relating to menstruation during school hours and even at home.

Perceptions on the primitive and negative beliefs on menstruation by female in our societies have been changed with these training as it’s discussion is done in the open not as it used to be in the past.

“But with the UNICEF intervention, stakeholders are now on the same page and discussing the issue freely without any “strings attached”. The outcome according to the stakeholders has become a winwin situation for the growth of education in the area.

“Now, young girls are making money as a result of the training from the new entrepreneurship opportunity owning to their abilities to manufacture reusable menstrual pads locally which is cheaper and can be reused for up to six months”.Opined by a stakeholder.

During a one day field visit to Tsohon Tikke Primary school, one of the schools which benefitted from the trainings by UNICEF, stakeholders regaled the visiting team of reporters how the intervention changed their world views about menstruation completely.

Musa Umar,head teacher of the school noted that the contributions of the partners especially UNICEF can never be over emphasised explaining that what used to be in the dark has been brought to the daylight courtesy of the training as issues surrounding menstruation are freely table in the open.

“In a conservative society such as ours, it was hitherto seen as moral bankruptcy to talk about issues like that. In fact, when the issue was first muted to me I shrank with excitement and fear because I could not see myself, a Fulani man discussing such issue with my students.

“But as it is now the training has led to a seamless relationship between the parents, teachers and the students and whenever any friction arises as a result of misconception, we usually address that amicably in a family way,” he said.

He noted that most of the issues around menstruation especially concerning new starters have been nipped in the bud because of the massive awareness as both students, teachers and parents have built mutual trust on the subject.