679 - Eradicating Period Poverty in Rural Nigeria: A Pilot Project

Publication Number: 3656.679

Ndidiamaka Okorozo, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States; Andrew Aligne, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States; Andrew Sherman, Golisano Children's Hospital at The University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States

Background: Nigeria, in West Africa, has over 54% of its 230 million people living below the international poverty line of $2.15. 37 million females of reproductive age lack access to period hygiene products. This increases the risk of infections and absence from school, which has social and health consequences throughout the course of life.

Objective: The objective of this project is to increase accessibility and decrease cost of menstrual hygiene products for girls and women in rural Nigeria. The long-term goal is to decrease infections, school absences, domestic abuse, and to improve health overall.

Design/Methods: This project is in two parts: teaching participants how to make pads and distributing tailor-sewn pads. We hosted pad-making workshops to teach participants how to create sanitary pads from sustainable materials. We worked with tailors to sew pads that were distributed at clinics and community locations. Supplies used to create pads include plastic bags, absorbent material like cotton, Ankara fabric, needle, thread, button, and scissors.

Surveys and interviews were conducted to obtain data. IRB approval was not required for this project. However, it did go through approval at the residency institution.

Results: We surveyed 130 girls and women across two states; Imo and Lagos. The survey showed that 30% of Imo State participants used old/worn clothes to maintain period hygiene. 64% of them indicated that access to cheap sanitary products would improve menstrual hygiene in their community. Our Lagos State workshop was at a children's home; thus, they had sanitary pads provided for them. During interviews, we learned that pads cost about $1.73 to $2.43. A participant reported that some girls resort to prostitution to afford period hygiene products. Respondents attributed the following impacts to the lack of hygiene products: increased school absence, increased risk of urinary tract infections, exposure to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and exposure to domestic abuse. Interviews and surveys indicate high feasibility and acceptability of the locally fabricated pads (see photos).

Conclusion(s): Our findings highlight the medical and social impact of period poverty in a rural Nigerian community. With half of the population living below the poverty line, pads are too costly for Nigerian girls and intervention is critically needed. Our initial experience indicates that local sewing of beautiful materials into sanitary pads is a promising solution to this problem. Further research is needed to ascertain the sustainability and scalability of this approach.

First Hand-sewn Sanitary Pad
The first hand-sewn pad completed by a participant. Her name is blurred out at the bottom of the pad.

Girls Creating Pads at the Workshop
This picture shows girls at the one of our workshops working through the steps of creating a pad.

A Set of Tailor-Sewn Pads
One of the tailors poses with a set of tailor-sewn pads that was created for distribution. Consent obtained for the use of this image.