In the classrooms of Karu-Kurudu, behind neat uniforms and attentive faces, many schoolgirls silently battle a painful, monthly challenge—menstruation. Joy Joseph, a teenage girl, shares a reality that is all too common yet rarely spoken about.
“There’s no clean water or private space. We just manage,” she says, describing the lack of basic menstrual hygiene facilities in her school. Changing a pad becomes a challenge, privacy is non-existent, and clean water is a luxury. Still, amidst these challenges, she finds solace in the small bits of menstrual education offered. “It helps me understand my body and how sensitive it is during that time,” she adds.
Recounting the day her period first started at school, Joy admits she was shocked and confused. “I started mine while in the classroom during a lesson. I was actually shocked and confused at that state, but my friends helped me through, by going to our guidance counselors who assisted me that day. Then the mistress helped me out by getting me some water and a pad.”
However, the support is limited. Joy continues, “The school only provides one sanitary pad for students in need. The only supply is usually just one pad for the students who require it.” She explains further, “There is no clean toilet, no water for washing, and no private changing area. We never have any of these facilities.”
Joy urges the federal government to step in and provide proper WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities in schools to help young girls. “By providing a good and clean toilet for the students and also supplying sanitary pads, it would go a long way in supporting us.”
Paula Arome shares a story that highlights the consequences of inadequate facilities. “A friend started her period in school, and she was told to go home to take care of it because the school had no supplies for such situations. There are no sanitary products in school and no alternative either.” She also lamented the lack of clean water and proper sanitation facilities.
Commenting on the impact of rising sanitary pad prices, Paula adds, “The rising prices of pads have had a significant impact on girls like me and women. Women who struggle to afford menstrual products can get infections from prolonged use of the same pad. The government can assist by providing funding for schools specifically for sanitary products. They can also intervene to keep the prices of all sanitary products affordable, as they are a necessity, not a luxury.”
Alice Godwin recalls her own experience in school. “Sanitary pads were not available for us to use in school; you had to bring your pad from home. Sometimes we used tissue as an alternative. The school had an averagely clean toilet for us to use, and one teacher’s office was used as a changing room. The only elderly female teacher in school helped us open up and ask questions we didn’t understand relating to menstrual cycles.”
Alice advises that “The government should collaborate with NGOs focused on helping girls with menstrual health, so they can reach as many schools as possible. There are still poor people in society who can’t afford sanitary pads. Providing these pads in schools would make schooling more exciting for girls and increase our confidence, knowing the government cares for us.”
Clara Gabriel also highlights the mental toll of period poverty. “I have faced financial challenges; pads are now so expensive, and it affects my mental health because every month I keep worrying about how I’ll get them. The government should encourage us by giving out at least one free sanitary pad every month to every girl child who has just started her menstrual cycle,” she urges.
The stories of Joy, Paula, Alice, and Clara paint a vivid picture of the hidden struggle of menstruating girls in Karu-Kurudu. Lack of WASH facilities, limited access to sanitary products, and rising costs not only affect their physical well-being but also their mental health and confidence. For many, the dream of uninterrupted education remains fragile, contingent on something as basic as access to clean water and a sanitary pad.