Girls With Period Initiative (GWP) recently launched ‘the Pink Box project’ at the Tejuosho Shopping Complex on the 2nd of December, 2020. The Pink Box project seeks to provide and distribute free sanitary pad dispensers at public places such as malls, schools and churches to counter the emergency period issues of girls and women across Africa.
In attendance at the socially distanced event were Secondary school students, young girls and women, amongst others.
Speaking at the event, Founder and Project Manager for Girls With Period Initiative (GWP), Patricia Vin-Okopi said;
This project and event are so dear to me because of my own personal experience. There are many times women and girls have had to hide or feel embarrassed due to seeing their period unexpectedly in public places. Asides from us providing the sanitary pad dispensers, we also want to encourage women to never be ashamed of their period through this event.
Actress and member of Board of Trustees for Girls With Period (GWP) Initiative, Mercy Johnson-Okojie also encouraged women to never hide or feel ashamed about their period. In a statement to the attendees, she said;
Being a part of this project is really important to me, mostly because it’s one of the many projects we plan to work on to eliminate period poverty. A girl child or woman is out there somewhere with little or no access to proper menstrual hygiene and with this project, we hope to reach them and provide the proper and necessary menstrual care they need. I urge parents to do better in educating their children about periods and never make them feel it’s something they should hide or be embarrassed about. We need to normalise periods and stop projecting it as something dirty, strange or shameful.
Founder of WildFlower PR & Company and Chairman, Board of Directors for Girls With Period (GWP) Initiative, ‘Oma Areh addressed the stigma attached to periods and how GWP is tackling them.
Our goal with Project Pink Box is impacted; we intend to reach tens of thousands of girls and young women across Africa who are still dealing with less than sanitary periods. Our goal is to ensure that whenever a girl gets her period, she will be able to walk into a public place and pick a pad for free. This year, through the Pink Box Project, we want everyone to realise, understand and contribute towards ensuring that every girl deserves a free sanitary pad.
At the event, guests were educated on menstrual hygiene, including the stigma associated with women and periods. The men were not left out as they were also taught on how to approach and assist women that might have found themselves in an emergency period situation in public. A Q and A session was also conducted while the first Pink Box was stocked and displayed for the audience.
ABOUT GIRLS WITH PERIOD INITIATIVE (GWP)
Over 10,000 young girls across Africa have received menstrual kits courtesy of the Girls With Period (GWP) Initiative (GWP). GWP is on a mission to completely eradicate period poverty across Africa through the provision and distribution of sanitary pads to women and girls. It is a social movement that also educates women and girls, especially the underprivileged about menstrual hygiene, self-esteem and sex education. Notable trustees include Actress and Movie Producer, Mercy Johnson-Okojie. Advocates include Reality Star, Khafi Kareem and Princess Ekeinde.
To support the Pink Box Project, contact at +234706594161 or info@girlswithperiod.org.