Group targets 5,000 girls in campaign against menstrual poverty
A new campaign aimed at tackling menstrual poverty and improving access to menstrual health education for adolescent girls has been launched with a target of reaching 5,000 beneficiaries before the end of the year. The initiative, known as Adopt-A-Teen, was unveiled in Abuja over the weekend by its founder, Zainab Salami, who said the programme was conceived to address the challenges many girls face in accessing sanitary products and accurate information about menstrual health.
Salami said the idea emerged from field engagements in Kano State, where many teenage girls lacked basic menstrual hygiene materials, making it difficult for them to focus on their education and personal development. According to her, the campaign seeks to restore dignity and confidence among adolescent girls through menstrual health literacy, distribution of dignity kits, mentorship and access to support systems.
“Many girls do not have access to the basic things they need during menstruation. When a girl lacks these essentials, it becomes difficult for her to focus on education and other important aspects of her future,” she said. She cited findings from studies indicating that menstrual hygiene inequality remains a major challenge across Nigeria, particularly in rural communities where access to sanitary products is limited.
Salami noted that the campaign currently supports about 1,500 girls and is working towards reaching 5,000 by the end of 2026, with a longer-term goal of assisting 10,000 girls next year. “Right now, we have reached about 1,500 girls. By the end of the year, we are looking at reaching 5,000 young girls by providing them with dignity kits, and by the grace of God, we hope to reach 10,000 by next year,” she said.
She explained that beneficiaries would receive menstrual hygiene kits, educational materials, mentorship opportunities and access to safe support networks. The founder also urged government at all levels to pay greater attention to menstrual health and hygiene, arguing that access to sanitary products should not be treated as a luxury.
“Pads should be free. It should not be something that young girls have to struggle to buy. It is a biological reality, not a choice. We must make resources and information available to help girls live with dignity,” she added. Salami disclosed that the initiative is already building partnerships to extend its reach beyond urban centres, including engagements in internally displaced persons camps in Borno State through collaboration with development organisations.
Speaking at the launch, adolescent and life-stage counsellor, Adebimpe Akano, described menstrual health as a fundamental human rights issue and stressed the need for targeted support for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. She said the initiative would focus on awareness campaigns, menstrual health education and the provision of hygiene kits to vulnerable adolescents.
“Menstruation is a physiological process and every girl deserves dignified menstrual health. No child should be denied opportunities because she is menstruating,” Akano said. She noted that although Nigeria has policies on menstrual health and hygiene management, implementation remains weak. According to her, greater investment is needed to improve access to sanitary products, strengthen school sanitation facilities and ensure that existing policies achieve their intended objectives.
Also speaking, Coordinator of the Fistula Foundation, Clement Enenmoh, said economic hardship has made it increasingly difficult for many families to provide essential needs for their children, including menstrual hygiene products. He described the initiative as a timely intervention that could help bridge existing gaps while providing mentorship and guidance for young girls.
Enenmoh called for stronger collaboration between government agencies, development partners and private organisations to expand support for adolescents, particularly those in underserved communities. He noted that while awareness programmes exist, many vulnerable girls remain beyond the reach of current interventions and require deliberate efforts to ensure they are not left behind.
Participants at the launch stressed that addressing menstrual poverty is critical to improving school attendance, boosting self-confidence and ensuring that girls can participate fully in educational and social activities without stigma or discrimination.
