By Tunde Oso

As concerns deepen over the growing impact of period poverty on school attendance in Nigeria, 13-year-old Leah Adeyemi is providing a succour through an initiative aimed at protecting dignity of school girls.
The initiative dubbed “Pad for School, Pad for Dignity” runs under the ‘Leah to Girl Child Foundation’ ,and sees to the provision of free sanitary pads, underwear and bathing soap to pupils while educating them on menstrual hygiene.
The foundation emerged into public prominence after winning a N500,000 top prize in an international competition, a feat that has since strengthened Adeyemi’s capacity to scale the project.
“Our mission is to support young girls in secondary schools with free sanitary pads, underwear and menstrual health education, whilehelping them stay in school and stay confident,” she stated.
Reports have shown that limited access to sanitary pads forces many girls to resort to unsafe alternatives or miss school entirely, a trend experts warn may have long-term consequences for retention and academic performance.
Adeyemi, a student of Nobel House College, reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to addressing this gap, noting that it has distributed hundreds of sanitary kits across primary and secondary schools in Ogun State, each accompanied by training sessions on menstrual hygiene, confidence and body care.
Teachers and parents in beneficiary communities also attested that the intervention has helped reduce absenteeism among girls, particularly during their menstrual cycle.

Among the foundation’s intervention is its “catch-them-young” which emphasizes early education on personal hygiene, an approach believed to be the basis for healthier women and a stronger society.
The teenager’s work mirrors global research showing that improving menstrual hygiene for adolescent girls boosts self-esteem, academic performance and long-term reproductive health outcomes.
Adeyemi who finds a model in her father, Charles Adeyemi is currently enrolled in structured project management training to expand the scale, governance and sustainability of the foundation.
“This is not just a project; it is a commitment to ensuring every girl understands her worth and has what she needs to succeed,” she said.