Na cloth I dey use do sanitary pad - secondary school girl

Blessing Philip na 17 year old student wey dey JS 2 for Community Secondary school Pabod for Port Harcourt. She say she don dey see period since she dey 13 years and na pieces of cloth she dey take arrange herself.

She tell BBC Pidgin say, 'my sister na tailor so di pieces wey she cut troway, di thick ones, I go fold am use because pad dey cost. One pad na N350.

Dis na di tin wey plenti young girls dey face sake of say sanitary pad dey cost well well. Dem say pad dey cost reach N250 to N400 for one.

Some of dem dey use cloth wey dem wrap wit cotton wool inside. Wen e soil, dem go troway di cotton wool den wash di cloth with hot water and salt come use am again.

Odas say dem dey use toilet roll and with one hundred naira, dem fit buy toilet roll wey dem fit use wen dia period come.

Nmasichi Onu wey be SS1 student for Model Girls Secondary School Rumueme say she dey use pad but to make di pad last so e no go quick finish, for night she dey use one handkerchief. She say, "na hanky I dey use for night. You go wash am, iron am den use am. For morning you go use warm water wash di blood comot den use salt and dettol wash am spread am for sun make e dry well well den iron am. Like dis di pad dey last because we dey use di hanky for night."

Dis na im make One Pad For Her Initaitive go Community Secondary School Pabod, Wisdom International Secondary School and Model Girls Secondary School Rumueme all for Port Harcourt go give dem sanitary pad and teach dem how dem fit keep demsef clean wen dem dey on dia period.

Assurance Chinemerem wey be di Director for One Pad tell BBC Pidgin say dem dey reach out to di girls because many of dem dey exposed to infections wit di cloth or toilet roll wey dem dey use because e dey make bacteria grow for dia body come give dem infection or menstrual rash.

Dis na because dia target na schools girls wey no fit buy pad use and because May 28 wey be Menstrual Hygiene Day, na public holiday, dem go give dem wen school dey on.

She say dis na sometin wey dem dey do every year and dem dey also go waterside slum area too go share sanitary pad for di women and girls wey dey dia because, "we believe say every woman suppose get beta tin to carry take care of her sef wen she dey see her period."

Ebubechukwu Amogu wey be Pharmarcist say e go beta if goment and company wey dey do pad fit do special pads for school girls dem wey no too cost to help dem because if dem no get beta hygiene as dem start period, e go worry dem later in life as dem dey exposed to infections.

World Menstrual hygiene day dey emphasise why e dey important to maintain hygiene during menstruation and break taboo and superstition wey dey around am and e dey hold for May 28 to recognise di average 28 days menstrual cycle wey many women get.