Recognising the need to empower women and girls with the knowledge and tools they need to make informed decisions about their health and well-being, Project Uwar, currently in its fifth edition, and sister project, Access Pads A Girl, have continued unified efforts to make a tangible impact in rural communities, to save lives, and improve the health outcomes of women and girls.
Project Uwar has continued striving to provide comprehensive support and resources to women and girls, focusing on menstrual health and hygiene, maternal care, and access to essential healthcare services, driven by the urgent need to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates.
Founder of Project Uwar and Access Pads A Girl, Maryam Adebola-Salami, also known as ‘Mobaby’, believes that the reach of the organization’s mission is increasing rapidly, and this has constantly motivated them to improve upon their efforts: “The acceptance and impact of Project Uwar and Access Pads a Girl have been steadily increasing over time. Initially, there were some challenges during the first editions, but through the sharing of impactful stories and the support of community leaders, we have witnessed significant progress,”
“Moreover, the positive reception has also motivated our sponsors, such as Ace Bank, to increase their funding. This has allowed us to scale up our efforts, reaching more women and girls with each edition,” she added.
Adebola-Salami believes that all women and girls deserve to thrive and lead healthy, fulfilling lives, and her organization, through their programmes and advocacy efforts is playing it’s part in ensuring this: “Through our initiatives, such as Project Uwar and Access Pads a Girl, we aim to break the barriers that hinder women and girls from accessing these vital resources. By providing menstrual hygiene kits, educating on proper hygiene practices, and offering health screenings and consultations, we empower women and girls to take control of their health and well-being.”
She also believes that women and girls should have access to adequate healthcare, menstrual hygiene products, and comprehensive education on reproductive health.
Access Pads a Girl is an initiative aimed at addressing period poverty and promoting menstrual health and hygiene among girls and women in underserved communities. The project focuses on providing access to menstrual hygiene products, education on menstrual health and hygiene, and promoting overall well-being.
Adebola-Salami stated that inadequate menstrual hygiene management and period poverty had significant implications for the health, well-being, and dignity of girls and women, and the Access Pads A Girl Initiative was taking crunch steps towards tackling the underlying issues: “Period poverty reinforces gender inequalities by disproportionately affecting girls and women, and The Access Pad A Girl Initiative is aimed at expanding its reach, impact, and sustainability to address period poverty and promote menstrual health and hygiene for girls and women across Nigeria and beyond”
“Addressing period poverty and promoting menstrual health and hygiene is essential for advancing gender equality, promoting health and well-being, and ensuring that all individuals can live with dignity and opportunity,” she added.
