Foundation Deepens Fight Against Period Poverty in Lagos Schools

The Let’s Limit Poverty Foundation (LLPF) has intensified efforts to combat period poverty among schoolgirls in Lagos State, taking menstrual health education and hygiene support to two secondary schools in Ikoyi and Ibeju-Lekki.

The Foundation, through its Period Poverty Initiative (PPI), recently organised outreach programmes at Girls Senior Grammar School, Ikoyi, and Magbon-Alade Senior Grammar School, Ibeju-Lekki, where students received education on puberty, menstrual hygiene, personal health, self-care and confidence-building.

According to LLPF, the initiative was designed to address not only the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products but also the misinformation, embarrassment and stigma often associated with menstruation among adolescent girls.

The Foundation said the outreach created an opportunity for students to openly discuss issues surrounding puberty and menstruation, with participants asking questions and receiving practical information on managing their menstrual health.

It noted that while the provision of sanitary products remained an important component of the initiative, education was equally critical to addressing the wider consequences of period poverty.

The Foundation said girls who lack access to menstrual hygiene products or accurate information could experience challenges including absenteeism, reduced classroom participation, declining academic performance and diminished self-confidence.

According to LLPF, its approach therefore combines the distribution of hygiene materials with menstrual health education and dignity-focused support, with the belief that while sanitary supplies are eventually exhausted, knowledge and awareness can continue to benefit the recipients.

The organisation said teachers and school administrators welcomed the programme, describing the intervention as a useful complement to classroom education.

It added that volunteers involved in the outreach were encouraged by the willingness of students and staff to engage in conversations about menstruation, puberty and personal health—subjects that are often discussed privately or avoided altogether.

LLPF said one of the most significant outcomes of the programme was the increased confidence demonstrated by the girls as they sought clarification on issues concerning their bodies and health.

The Foundation maintained that empowering girls with accurate information could help them make healthier decisions and remain more engaged in school.

It said the initiative was based on the understanding that period poverty extends beyond the inability to afford sanitary products, describing it as a challenge with implications for health, education, gender equality, economic opportunity and human dignity.

LLPF also acknowledged the contribution of partners whose financial and technical support made the outreach possible.

Among the partners recognised by the Foundation were Lagos State Education District III, KSA Immigration Consulting Services Limited, Polaris Bank, EduBuddie Global Consulting Services, Plumdale & Co., the Nigerian Red Cross Society, FirstBank Nigeria and The Matrix.

The Foundation described the partnerships as evidence of the potential for collaboration among government institutions, businesses, humanitarian organisations and educational stakeholders in tackling social challenges affecting young people.

It said corporate support for initiatives such as the Period Poverty Initiative could produce measurable benefits in education, public health and gender equality, particularly when interventions combine material assistance with sustained education and empowerment.

Buoyed by the response to the latest outreach, LLPF said it plans to extend the initiative to more schools and communities across Nigeria.

The organisation said its broader ambition was to contribute to a situation where no girl misses school because of menstruation and every adolescent has access to accurate reproductive health information and basic menstrual hygiene products.

It, however, acknowledged that achieving nationwide impact would require stronger partnerships and greater investment.

The Foundation therefore called on companies, development agencies, philanthropists and other organisations interested in education, healthcare and youth empowerment to support the expansion of the initiative.

LLPF described period poverty as a multifaceted challenge requiring coordinated interventions across health, education, gender equality and community development.

The organisation said it would continue its work through classroom-based education, provision of menstrual hygiene support and conversations designed to build confidence and promote healthier choices among adolescent girls.

The Let’s Limit Poverty Foundation is a nonprofit organisation focused on reducing poverty through interventions in education, healthcare, youth empowerment and community development.