In a significant move to challenge deep-seated cultural taboos, the “Through HER Voice” initiative Successfully conducted a large scale menstrual poverty and health awareness campaign at Bayero University Kano (BUK) on Sunday, August 25th.
The event, organized by the EYAI Menstrual Poverty Awareness Campaign (MENPAC) in collaboration with the BUK student community, directly engaged over 200 male and female students within their hostels. The innovative approach of meeting students in their living spaces was designed to foster a safe and inclusive environment for open dialogue on a topic often shrouded in silence and shame.
The campaign was founded by Ambassador Fatima Adam, a noted activist and menstrual poverty survivor who serves as the Youth Training & Mentorship Deputy Team Lead for Engage Africa.
“Through HER Voice is more than an event; it is a movement to ensure that no girl is held back in life because of a natural biological process. Our goal is to eradicate menstrual poverty and ensure every girl’s voice is heard,” said Adam.
The program featured a multi-faceted approach to address the issue comprehensively:
• Educational Sessions provided practical, hands-on demonstrations on safe and hygienic menstrual care.
• Awareness Talks focused on dismantling pervasive myths and stigmas surrounding menstruation, particularly within Northern Nigerian communities.
• Policy Advocacy encouraged students to champion efforts to make menstrual products affordable and accessible to all.
• Empowerment Conversations inspired young women to become agents of change and advocates within their own circles.
By targeting both male and female students, the initiative aimed to build a broader coalition of understanding and support, recognizing that ending stigma requires a collective effort.
EYAI Menstrual Poverty Awareness Campaign (MENPAC) is a non governmental organization and a youth focused organization in Africa that amplifies the voices of youth, by training and mentoring them to become change makers and leaders in their communities.
Its projects and initiatives include ‘Through HER Voice’, which is an initiative that aims to amplify the voices of young girls and women in the fight against menstrual poverty, dismantle societal stigma, and promote education and access to menstrual hygiene.
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