Rotary Club of Lagos Island organises Sakhi project, empowers girls with free sanitary napkins

About 2,000 Senior Secondary School girls have benefitted from Rotary Club of Lagos Island Sakhi project, a social awareness programme to educate school girls on the importance of education and sanitary hygiene.

Rotarian Bitney John (left); Co-Chair, Rotarian Akanksha, Rotarian Hema, President, Kamlesh Jain (2nd right) and Rotarian Srishti Odhrani with Victoria Island Senior Secondary School girls, beneficiaries of free Sanitary Napkins, courtesy of Sakhi project.

According to the President, Rotary Club of Lagos Island, Rotarian Kamlesh Jain, the exercise came on the heel of survey conducted in Nigeria which revealed that lack of proper and adequate menstrual hygiene management system caused by inadequate access to water and sanitation facilities, proper sanitary napkins and ignorance, had been the cause of fungal and bacterial infections in reproductive and urinary tracts, aggravating to serious disorders like kidney failure, infertility and cervical cancer.

Jain assured that the very impactful project would change psyche of not only the beneficiaries, but also their children and the communities they live in.

“Investing in girls’ education through something as simple as personal hygiene kits can transform communities and even their countries.

“Our club has the highest number of female Rotarians in District 9110 and has always promoted gender equality and active female participation in all club activities,” she said.

At a re-launched event, Head of Chancery, Indian High Commission, Mr. Shri Rachit, educated girls on Indian celebration of Swachata Pakhwada (Sensitisation week) and importance of personal hygiene, as well as healthy lifestyle.

The Special Guest of Honour, past District Governor, Kola Sodipo, also at one of the club’s re-launch of Project Sakhi, enlightened that Rotary as an international organisation, offers each member unique opportunities and responsibilities, adding that although each Rotarian has the first responsibility to uphold the obligations of citizenship of his or her own country, membership in Rotary enables Rotarians to take a somewhat different view of international affairs.

Service Chair, Rotarian Hiro Rupchandani, said every month, Rotary Club of Lagos Island empowers 1,500 girls with personal hygiene kits and sanitary pads to boost their confidence, productivity and encourage healthy lifestyle.

In addition to the beneficiaries being taught the importance of proper hygiene at an interactive session, Chair, Sakhi Project, Rotarian Srishti Odhrani and co-Chair, Rotarian Akanksha, said girls would have happy moments during ‘their days’ by the use of the sanitary materials which would boost their efficiency.

“We deeply appreciate our sponsors, members, kind-hearted individuals and those who worked diligently and donated to make the project’s work and others who believe that Rotary Club of Lagos Island is committed to supporting women in discovering their potentials and value, as agents of social change,” said Jain and others.

Project Sakhi received district grant this year while the team managed all the resources on ground for the launch and on-going every month distribution.

Schools authorities applauded the project and expressed their willingness to partner on a long term.

The club has also carried out projects on health and sanitation, cervical cancer vaccination, free cataract eye surgery, tree plantation and library renovation, among others.