UNFPA, Ikra foundation train 68 Bauchi women on sanitary pads production
Story from Najibullahi ADAMU, Bauchi
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with a Bauchi based Non-Governmental Organization, Ikra Foundation for Women and Youth Development (IFWYD), has trained 68 women on the production of reusable sanitary pads.
The beneficiaries were also exposed to shampoo, liquid soaps, sanitiser and disinfectant productions among others.
Mrs Amina Garuba, the founder of the organisation, disclosed this during the European Union/UN Monitoring Visit to the UNFPA Intervention Site and Dialogue session with beneficiaries of the programme.
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Garuba said the beneficiaries were trained in Ningi Local Government Area of the state, adding that 20 of them had set up pads production trade as a source of livelihood.
According to her, the reusable sanitary pads are disinfectable, washable and could be put back to use.
In her remarks, Mrs Deborah Tabara, UNFPA Programme Officer in Bauchi, commended the EU for its support of the programme.
Tabara said that the intervention was hinged on three transformative agendas of meeting needs for family planning, preventing maternal deaths and ending Sexual, Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
“In UNFPA, we believe that investing in gender equality, sexual, reproductive health, rights protection as well as empowerment of women and girls is not only just the right thing to do.
“It is a prudent investment because it has multiple effects in the future. It has an effect on social and economic life. It also leads to the overall progress of the community and the state as a whole,” she said.
Also speaking, Mrs Chioma Osuji, EU representative, said that UNFPA had done tremendously well in women training in the production of reusable pads and other trades.
Osuji stressed the need to sustain the programme to empower more women, adding that the EU would adopt proactive measures to motivate them.
Nabila Yusuf, one of the beneficiaries, said that she had produced and sold about 450 pieces of pads, and called for more support to enable her to expand her business.
Another beneficiary, Jemima Waziri, a mother of three, said that she enjoyed high patronage and made good savings from the sales of the reusable pads.
On her part, Nasiba Ismael urged the UNFPA and EU to support them with funds to enable them to scale up their businesses.
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