Baobab Microfinance Bank has launched the first phase of its Menstrual Hygiene Awareness Project in Ilorin, Kwara State, reaffirming its commitment to improving community well-being and supporting underserved populations. The initiative, implemented in partnership with Sisters of Jannah, provided 500 reusable sanitary pads to schoolgirls in a carefully selected beneficiary school.
The bank said the project was designed to address period poverty, a challenge that continues to affect many adolescent girls in low-income communities by contributing to school absenteeism, reduced academic performance, and, in severe cases, school dropout. By distributing reusable sanitary pads, the initiative seeks to provide a sustainable and cost-effective solution that enables girls to manage menstrual health with dignity and continue their education without interruption.
Chief Business Development Officer of Baobab Microfinance Bank Nigeria, Joy Micheal-Oti, said every girl deserves the opportunity to learn without disruption, stressing that menstrual health is a basic right. She noted that the intervention in Ilorin marks the beginning of a broader commitment to tackling period poverty across Nigeria.
Social Performance Manager, Barisi Samuels, explained that the project goes beyond the distribution of sanitary products by promoting dignity, confidence, and reassurance for young girls. The reusable pads were supplied by Sana Pads, a female-owned enterprise based in Kano that focuses on sustainable menstrual health solutions.
Representatives of Sisters of Jannah said their grassroots knowledge helped identify the school with the greatest need and ensured that support reached vulnerable girls within the community. The organisation described the collaboration as an example of how partnerships can drive meaningful and lasting change.
Baobab Microfinance Bank disclosed that the Menstrual Hygiene Awareness Project will be expanded to other states through its network of 38 branches across 16 states, with additional beneficiary schools and implementation plans to be announced in due course.
