By Umar Dankano,Yola.
A total of 156 persons comprising teachers,adolescents,tailors, Village health promoters (VHPs) and local government area WASH units have been trained on menstrual health and hygiene management across elementary schools and communities in Adamawa state.
Other participants of the training were state officials where improved menstrual health and hygiene management manual (MHHM) was used for schools and communities
The intervention (training)was organized by a collaboration between Adamawa state government,UNICEF with funding support from government of Netherlands through ASWA lll project to change the narrative of allowing the young stars especially girls in handling their personal hygiene at a tender age.
Some of the beneficiaries of the training including pupils and teachers confessed that the training has broadened their knowledge on the best ways to handle such natural calling when ever it comes especially during school hours which made them better informed than ever.
Mrs Janet Jibril, a teacher at Kiri pilot Primary school in Shelleng local government council said that the training has really changed the thoughts of many among them by getting additional information and professional methods to transfer the knowledge to their Pupils.
Jibril advanced that the awareness has impacted positively to an extent that even absconding and absenteeism of classes by adolescents(pupils) have reduced drastically in the school.
Another teacher, Usman Hassan confirmed that majority of the Pupils can produce locally made reusable sanitary pads which was part of the take-aways from the training applauding the Unicef through Accelerating Sanitation and Water for All (ASWA lll) programme.
Hassan assured that everyone that was at the training has been impacted on the remarkable shift in perception, myth and behavior noting that the school has a bank for the locally produced sanitary pads for any eventuality for girls to use.
From his perspective as a tailor and participant of the training, Musa Halilu said that the innovative approach has upgraded his talent in his business because the school engaged him as the official tailor sewing the usable pads with locally sourced materials.
Halilu stated that he is making a quick business now as the demand for the usable pads from women in the community have grown high to the extent some have to book ahead.
In their respective contributions as experts, Emmanuel Essey, the General Manager, RUWASSA.Adamawa state and Nanbam Michael,WASH Officer.Unicef Bauchi field office expressed optimism that various awareness interfaces held in elementary schools and communities in Ganye and Shelleng local government councils have improved confidence, health care and dignity of the people.
They reiterated that the nonchalant attitude of men on menstrual health and hygiene management has changed completely based on the information gathered from such communities.
For pupils of Kiri pilot Primary school like Edith Meshach and Ampeni Nakomushi, the training was an eye opener to them and their colleagues pledging to share the knowledge with their peers and communities.
While urging all to extend the knowledge to others in their respective abodes, the experts emphasized that the intervention is a collaboration between the Adamawa State Government and the Accelerating Sanitation and Water for All Programme, ASWA III, and funded by the Netherlands Government.
