By Paul Olayemi

Maden Healthcare Foundation, in collaboration with various organizations, on October 11th celebrated the International Day of the Girl Child 2023, in Delta and Adamawa state promoting girl empowerment, education, and wellbeing.

In Delta State, the foundation celebrated the day at three locations in Mosogar and Oghara, both in Ethiope West Local Government Area. At Uduaka Secondary School, Maden Healthcare Foundation partnered with the Rotary Club of Sapele Urban, Rotaract Club of Mosogar Community Base, and Women in Rotary to distribute sanitary pads to 180 females and 40 menstrual hygiene kits to active participants.

Two emergency menstrual hygiene kits were also donated to the school. A health talk on menstruation and menstrual hygiene was given, as well as a talk on mental health in commemoration of World Mental Health Day.

In Mosogar, the organizations visited the Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) Secondary school, where members of the Interact club were given a health talk and 33 girls were provided with sanitary pads. One emergency menstrual hygiene kit was also donated to the school. Dr. Ese Agbatutu, the Founder and CEO of Maden Healthcare Foundation, and Rotarian Adanma Eguwevbere emphasized the importance of proper menstrual hygiene and how to take care of oneself during menstruation.

On the same day, the Foundation collaborated with The Girl Child Advocacy (GCA) Committee of the Delta State University Medical Student Association (DUMSA) under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Student Association (NIMSA) to celebrate the International day of the Girl Child with the Theme: “Our Time is Now – Our Right, Our Future”. The Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Maden Healthcare Foundation: Dr Ese Agbatutu and the Coordinator of GCA: Miss Yahaya Damilola Mercy spoke on Menstrual hygiene and the theme of the day respectively. They charged the girls to maintain proper menstrual hygiene and taught them the various ways to dispose their Menstrual pads and maintain good menstrual hygiene. Sanitary pads (95), menstrual hygiene kits (41) were distributed to the girls with two Emergency Menstrual Hygiene kits given to the School with one poster on Menstrual Hygiene.

Adamawa State was not left out as the Adamawa State Chapter of Maden Healthcare Foundation, celebrated the International Day of the Girl child with a talk on “The wellbeing of the Girl child”; in line with this year’s theme at Concordia College, Yola. The talk was given by Dr Sumayya, one of the volunteers of the organization alongside the State Coordinator: Miss Oluwabunmi Anani. In attendance were students of the school (male and female: 247 of them) and their teachers.

Mr Otu Titus Ejiro, the Principal of Uduaka Secondary School Mosogar, Mrs Arharhire Ogaga the Head Teacher of Orefe Secondary School Ogharaefe and student representatives: Odeh Happy and Jawha One expressed their joy to Maden Healthcare Foundation and other Collaborators; thanking them for their philanthropic gesture and praying the good Lord to bless them.

In all, Maden Healthcare Foundation and its partners distributed sanitary pads, menstrual hygiene kits, and posters on menstrual hygiene, as well as providing health talks and educational materials to schools, students, and teachers. The organization aims to continue promoting girl empowerment, education, and wellbeing through similar events and initiatives.