Firm donates 1,000 menstrual sanitary packs to school girls

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility and support for this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day, Oriental Energy Resources has donated 1,000 bags of sanitary pads to girls in two secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State.

The beneficiaries are Ibesikpo Secondary Commercial School, Ibesikpo Asutan and Amayam Community Secondary school, Ikot Ekpene local ouncils. They received 650 and 350 bags respectively.

The Managing Director, Mr. Mustafa Indimi, said the gesture was aimed at sensitising the students on menstrual hygiene among girls in junior secondary two and three in the country.

He said it was also to discourage the use of old rags and other harmful materials during the menstrual cycle due to their inability to afford sanitary pads.

Represented by the company’s Head, Community and Government Relations, Dr. Uwem Ite, he said the initiative was in support of the Menstrual Hygiene Day, which holds May 28 every year.

He said the company was worried about girls dropping out of school due to period poverty.

Also speaking, the Director of Aniedi Etim Foundation, Ms Aniedi Etim said she took the initiative of sensitsing students in secondary schools on how to take care of themselves during the menstrual period because of her experience when she was of their age.

She thanked the firm for supporting her foundation. According to her, the pads would serve the girls for a period of one year, calling on other NGOs and corporate organisations to support the novel moves so as to encourage girls’ education in the country.