Menstruation! Not same experience for everyone
In simple terms, menstruation is when a female body which is up to puberty releases blood it no longer needs, usually through the vagina.

To most girls, and even women, this menstrual experience is traumatic because of the hormonal changes associated with it like abdominal cramp, acne, head ache, etc.
If this is the case with girls and women in the rural areas, is would have been fair. But there is more to it! 99% of the women and girls in rural Nigeria cannot afford disposable pads on monthly basis making them to use unhygienic materials like dry grass, leaves, old foam, rags, newspapers, etc. All these expose them to infection.

These girls also lack good menstrual hygiene knowledge. Their monthly practices are surrounded by myth that are mostly wrong. In most locations, it ios a taboo for a girl to stay in the same room with others while menstruating because she is considered unclean. They are however denied access to normal life, bathing and sometimes food as they are usually isolated and kept in unclean hut.

But we are changing things. Yes! Pad-Up Creations is turning the story around. As a social enterprise manufacturing chemical free washable and reusable sanitary pads in Nigeria, we are taking menstrual hygiene trainings to people in the rural areas, providing them with washable and reusable sanitary pads to help them build their lost confidence.

Join the moving train. Join Pad-Up creations and let us make a lasting impact by saving the future. www.padupcreations.com.

Pad-Up Creations is a social enterprise in Nigeria manufacturing chemical free washable and reusable sanitary pads. Their products are made from high performance materials which are expected to give 12+ months care for menstrual flow. It help to keep girls in school during their menstrual week, save cost for families, save the eco system, and prevent infections that results from girls use of unhygienic materials to care for menstruation.

All through the month of February, they took to schools, giving out menstrual hygiene and reproductive health training to school girls, and giving out washable and reusable sanitary pads to the girls. This will encourage the girls to be in school even during the menstrual week.
Considering the increasing price of sanitary pads in the market, parents and guidance cannot afford monthly purchase of sanitary pads for their girls, especially for families that have more than one girl.

This exposes the girls to rely on men who will make available the sanitary pads, most at times in exchange for sex. Some girls resort to the use of unhygienic materials like rags, tissues, newspapers soaked in water, leaves, etc to care for their menstrual flow.
However, the shame that arises when these materials leaks, most girls resort to staying at home during their menstrual week, thereby resulting to staying 3 months out of school in a whole year.

Condoms are free for men when sex is by choice. Period is a natural occurrence that does not take permission or looks at the pocket, menstrual care materials should therefore be made free and assessable for girls to keep them in schools in order to reduce teenage pregnancies, early marriage, infection, sexual abuse etc that might arise from this lack.

Please visit:www.padupcreations.com on facebook @padupcreations