By Egufe Yafugborhi & Chioma Onuegbu

UYO – ORIENTAL Energy Resources Limited (OERL) has delivered 12 months supply of sanitary packs to 1000 secondary schools girls in Akwa Ibom state in efforts at tackling alarming period poverty, the lack of access to menstrual hygiene due to hardship.

This is as 37 million Nigerian girls have no access to menstrual hygiene, 77% of that segment re-use menstrual materials, 57% of girls have no knowledge about menstrual hygiene, 25% of women lack adequate privacy for menstrual hygiene management while 24% of school girls miss classes during menstruation due to period poverty studies have shown.

Mustafa Indimi, Managing Direct of Oriental Energy, said the social intervention under the company’s Girl Child Health Education Outreach for Secondary Schools, involves integrated advocacy, sensitization, awareness, and empowerment program for female students in JSS2 and JSS3 with Aniedi Etim Foundation driving the process.

With the maiden exercise in 2022 carried out in secondary schools in Ibesikpo-Asutan and Ikot Ekpene Local Government Areas (LGAs), this year’s outreach targeted Southern Annang Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikot Okoro, Oruk Anam LGA and Community Secondary School, Afia Nsit Urua Nko, Nsit lbom LGA.

The objectives, the company boss noted include, reducing period poverty, improving health, and promoting gender equality in education, in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 4, as the two day exercise ended Wednesday.

Aside the menstrual hygiene packs, building on the maiden event, this year witnessed sensitisation on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Female Hygiene Management, HIV/AIDS and Child Trafficking, books distribution, demonstration of hand-washing techniques and donation of waste bins and other items to the schools.

Represented by Dr Uwem Ite, Head Community and Government Relations, Oriental Energy, Indimi told stakeholders, “This is our modest way of marking the 2024 International Day of the Girl Child, celebrated around the world 11 October 2024, with the theme “Girls’ Vision For The Future”.

“Studies in developing countries have shown that due to a variety of reasons, 1 in 5 girls are not able to complete junior secondary education, 4 in 10 girls not able complete senior secondary school.

“This has significant negative impacts on their ability to tap into prospects and opportunities which require formal education and certification.

“Against this background, Oriental Energy believes that investing in girls is not only the right thing to do for them, but also brings positive impacts particularly to their families in general.

“We quite agree with the UN Secretary General who noted earlier this month that we must provide girls with a seat at the table, through education, and by giving them resources they need and opportunities to participate and lead.

“At Oriental Energy, our philosophy is to create positive sustainable footprints through projects
and programs that improve quality of life of people in various communities, including students in schools”

He assured that the Effiat and Mbo Host Communities Development Trust inaugurated earlier in the year in line with the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021 would will be receiving annual funding from Oriental Energy for sustainable development of her Akwa Ibom host communities.

Mrs Aniedi Etim, Founder of the Aniedi Etim Foundation noted, “Evidently, menstrual poverty is a nightmare affecting the female gender, leaving boys to have limitless educational opportunities.

“This plight, common in developing countries, result in teenage pregnancies, girls drop out of school, starting families early, and repeating the cycle of poverty. It leads to contraction of chronic infections and diseases such as HIV/AIDS. It pushes girls into use of unsafe material such as toilet papers, rags during their period.

“This is a huge gender issue as menstrual poverty is a direct threat to gender equality, reproductive health and well-being. Menstruation is a human right, and no girl should have to trade her body or miss school because of lack of menstrual products.”

To the 500 beneficiaries for each of both schools that received the menstrual hygiene packages, Etim advised, “Neglecting to wash hands before and after changing menstrual pads can spread germs and infections, which is why Oriental Energy is also here to donate 750 litres innovative hand washing tanks, including five 5 bar soaps for each of the girls.

“In shared commitment to the fight against child trafficking in Akwa Ibom using storytelling approach, Oriental Energy is donating 750 copies of the state approved literature for Junior WAEC entitled: The Abandoned and other stories” to JSS3-500 students to aid awareness creation and prevention of child trafficking.”

In gratitude to Oriental Energy, the principals and students in both schools counted selves favoured for being chosen for the programme among schools in their localities, pledging to imbibe the lessons drawn from the outreach to improve their lives.