By Raheem Anifa
It was a weekday in UDUS, when the reddish caliphate sun was at its peak. Maryam (last name withheld), was busy going around the academic activities that mounted the hem of her day when she felt the urge to ease herself. Luckily for her, she was close to the academic mosque (one of the masjids that defines the UDUS landscape) so she made her move.
Maryam was urinating when she noticed it was the time for her menstrual flow.
“I was not with my bag, just my phone, cash and pen,” she retorted.
Left in the dilemma of where to get a pad, Maryam wished the blood could wait and allow her to get back to her hostel. What started as a smart day for her quickly transited into a looming embarrassment. For a second, she felt betrayed by the indignity of her own blood giving way between her thighs, down to stain her dress and wished there was a solution close by.
“I noticed no pad around the school premises though I’m not sure of the school Mini Mart as I can’t think of going that far. I had to use my handkerchief because I hadn’t finished what brought me to school. The experience was nothing to be proud of,” Maryam recounted the ugly woes that befell her that day.
According to Maryam, one of her daily routines now is putting a sanitary pad in her school bag before leaving for school due to emergency and knowing fully well that pad is inaccessible around UDUS classes.
Maryam emphasized the essentiality of getting sanitary pads around UDUS classes which in her view helps to save many when the emergency happens.
“Sanitary pad is a must for the females, it is a monthly need and it should be available around the school premises at least it will save faces as unforeseen emergency happens,” Maryam advised.
She furthered that, “We can never be too careful when it comes to menses because we experience change of hormones.”
Like Maryam, Popoola Tomiwa, a 400 level student of education English recounted an embarrassing day her menstruation met her while in school.
In her words, “There was a fateful day in school that I can’t forget in my life, I saw my period in class and I wasn’t with any pad. My dress was ruined before I could get to my hostel by bike because I couldn’t get a pad around class,” Tomiwa told Digest, letting out her disappointment about the lingering situation.
She also underscored the importance of sanitary pad to womanhood and why it is essential to get it around school area
“Sanitary pad is very important to me and every mature girl out there because of our monthly flow. It is important that we should be able to get pads around our classes because many female students feel embarrassed when their dress is ruined with blood,” she concluded.
Period Poverty: The Bigger Picture
In Nigeria, an estimated 37 million women and girls experience period poverty, meaning that they are unable to access or afford menstrual products like pads and tampons, but also pain medication and underwear. It’s a situation that remains largely unaddressed within society, even as the escalating cost of sanitary pads over the past five years has made the problem worse, putting an essential product out of reach for a large portion of the population.
According to a report in East Africa, 4 out of 5 girls lack access to sanitary pads and related health education.
More Woes
“I do feel isolated anytime I see it while in the school premises. Because of the possible embarrassment it might bring upon me,” Khadija, another UDUS student, stated.
“Inaccessibility of sanitary pads can cause embarrassment and stigma because I might have gotten stained before having access to one.”
“Sanitary Pad is important for female fir menstrual hygiene because of absorbs menstrual flow and also serve as a sense of security and comfort when used.”
“It is important to have access to it around UDUS classes to prevent females from getting stained/l after seeing it in the school premise before reaching out hostels,” she advised.
I would leave the school premise and go to the hostel because I know there’s no way for me to get a pad around the school” another female student Nafeesah explained.
Abdulrasaq Nafeesah, a 400 level student of Education English shared her distress toward seeing her menstruation while in school knowing she won’t get access to sanitary pad around the school area.
“ I felt ashamed because I was afraid of staining my clothes; fearing that people would discover my situation the moment I start menstruation,”
According to her, she knows there is no access to sanitary pads around School premises, so, she would always run back to the hostel when she discovers it is her time of the month.
“I’m the kind of person that feels stomach ache whenever I’m expecting my menstruation. So, if I discovered this, I would go to the hostel because I know there is no way for me to get a pad around the school.”
Sharafdeen Aisha, a 300 level of education Chemistry department disclosed how stressful it is getting her period on campus and knowing the inaccessibility of sanitary pad.
In her words, Honestly, it is stressful. Seeing your period on campus, especially without easy access to a pad feels so uncomfortable and worrysome. You can’t focus and it is hard to feel clean or at ease,”
Aisha furthered that she gets her pad outside school which makes her miss class sometimes.
“I really wish if something can be done about it” Kawthar Arowona.
Kawthar Arowona is a 400 level student of the Agriculture department, wishes sanitary pads could be sold around UDUS classes so as to avoid getting unprecedented embarrassment from both genders.
“I have once cried in the toilet before, because I was feeling disgraced as a result of the obvious stain on my dress. I knew even if I wash off the stain, the clothes will still be wet. I really wish something can be done about it,” she hoped.
Lack of Patronage
Speaking with the News Digest Press, Ibrahim Umar, an attendant at one of the shops around the class area disclosed that the students always prepare before coming to school. Taking along with them sanitary pad and other edible things useful for them. So for this, he wouldn’t buy goods that students don’t ask for.
“Most of the students prepare themselves in the hoste before coming to school. They bring food, sanitary pads for their menstruation,” Mr Ibrahim explained.
“I can’t bring or buy goods that will even last a week or two weeks as a small business man. I will not buy goods and keep just like that without people purchasing it” He declared.
According to him, he had once bought a sanitary pad but due to its poor purchase by the students and the loss of porfit, he stopped buying it.
“ There was a time when I had little credit, I pitied women and bought sanitary pads but for the whole semester, I only sold three and was left with the rest. So I can’t bring what people don’t buy,” he assured.
“ If three ladies come and ask for it, I can bring it today,” he concluded.
Female Students are Shy — SU
Speaking with the News Digest Press, the Student Union sales director, Aminu Kalgo, explained the reason the sanitary pad is not being sold in the class is because female students don’t look for it due to timidity. He also promised to speak with the CTC chairman so he would speak with the SU shops since they are all under him.
“Ut is very difficult for female to come looking for it because they feel shy to ask for it”
“I will speak with the Chairman so he could call the sellers since they all are under him. I promise to get back to you if the provisions for the sanitary pad will be available in the school shop” he promised.
“I am happy that the News Digest Press called our attention to this. Sometimes there are a lot of things that could not come to our minds as human beings, so thank you for reminding me. These are the things the females use each and every month, it is very important for it to be sold everywhere in the school without stressing them to get back to the hostel looking for it. Emergence use of it could occur sometimes and as students it is very crucial to be reminding us on things like these,” he concluded.
This Story is supported by the National Association of Campus Journalists (NACJ), Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.