Maden Foundation Tackles Period Poverty, Empowers 300 Girls in Jigawa Community

The Jigawa State chapter of Maden Healthcare Foundation has intensified efforts to combat period poverty and promote menstrual health awareness through a community outreach programme held in Hammayayi Community to commemorate the 2026 World Menstrual Hygiene Day.

The outreach, which took place on May 16, focused on educating women and girls on proper menstrual hygiene practices while addressing the growing challenges associated with poor access to menstrual health resources in underserved communities.

As part of the intervention, the foundation distributed 300 hygiene kits containing sanitary pads, soap and detergent to women and girls in the community. Participants also benefited from extensive sensitisation sessions on menstrual hygiene management and healthy personal hygiene practices.

The programme recorded impressive participation from women and adolescent girls, many of whom actively engaged in discussions on menstrual health and reproductive education.

Speaking during the outreach, the Jigawa State Coordinator of the foundation, Rasheeda Musa Muhammed, stressed the need for sustained menstrual health interventions in rural and underserved communities where access to sanitary products and reproductive health education remains inadequate.

According to organisers, the outreach exposed critical challenges facing many girls and women in the area, including the high cost and limited availability of sanitary pads, which often force them to rely on unsafe improvised materials such as old fabric, tissue paper and pieces of cloth during menstruation.

The exercise also highlighted persistent stigma and limited open conversations surrounding menstruation in many communities. However, participants reportedly demonstrated strong willingness to adopt healthier menstrual hygiene practices when provided with the right information and support.

Organisers noted that the initiative underscored the need for long-term interventions such as school health clubs, menstrual hygiene education programmes and community pad bank initiatives to ensure sustainable support for girls and women.

The foundation further emphasised the importance of community trust and engagement in achieving successful menstrual health interventions.

Maden Healthcare Foundation acknowledged the contributions of partner organisations that supported the outreach, including Prodevelopment Community Foundation, Jigawa Women Entrepreneurs Network, Green and Ecological Lifeline Initiative, Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria and Rising Hope Foundation.

The foundation reaffirmed its commitment to advancing menstrual health awareness, promoting dignity for women and girls, and implementing sustainable measures to address period poverty across communities in Nigeria.