… Targets 1 million PWD women and girls across 36 states
… Launches orange fleshed sweet potato farming for PWD farmers
By Lanre Oloyede
In a bold move towards promoting equality and inclusivity by empowering women and girls with disabilities, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon Mohammed Abba Isa, has trained and empowered over 45 women with disabilities in production of re-usable sanitary pads.
This remarkable achievement, which took place Thursday at the official flag-off, capacity building, training, and free distribution of re-usable sanitary pads for women and girls with disabilities and launch of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato Farming in Nigeria at Karon-majigi area of Abuja, had over 45 women with disabilities underwent comprehensive training for two weeks in production of 10, 0000 quantities and use of the re-usable sanitary pads as an empowerment and enterprise tool.
The project, which was undertaken by the office of the Senior Special Assistant on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities in collaboration with Nigeria Women Economic Development Project (NigWED Project), targeted over 1 million women and girls with disabilities across the 36 states of the federation covering a 6-year period of 2024 to 2027 and 2027 to 2030 leveraging Central Bark of Nigeria’s Framework for Advancing Nigeria Women Financial inclusion and ECOWAS 50m African Woman Speak Project, African Union New Decade 2020-2030 of African Women Financial and Economic Inclusion and United Nations SGG Goals 5: Gender Equality & Empowerment.
In addition, the collaborative initiative was designed to expand Women’s Economic Development by exploring Financial inclusion for enhanced Social impact Programmes and Political/Governance Participation.
In his keynote address, Hon. Abba Isa noted that the project is in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s commitment to improving menstrual health and hygiene, particularly for women with disabilities.
The SSAP further noted that the government recognized the challenges women and girls with disabilities face due to lack of access to sanitary products hence this initiative is a critical step towards addressing this pressing issue.
The senior presidential aide maintained that the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ever ready to support any initiative and program that improves menstrual health and hygiene, particularly for women with disabilities.
While commending the NigWED team for the timely and beneficial initiative, the presidential aide urged the beneficiaries to embrace these opportunities for their economic emancipation.
“The office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities has a clear mandate to create equal opportunities for all in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Achieving this mandate is only possible through partnerships like this one.
“As part of our efforts to promote good menstrual health and hygiene practices among women with disabilities, we will champion the campaign on the empowerment and provision of re-usable sanitary pads. This is not just a health initiative but a significant stride towards restoring dignity and enhancing the quality of life for many women and girls.
“This workshop we are flagging off today, in partnership with NigWED, will provide opportunities for women with disabilities to be trained on how to sew these pads. They will be provided with the necessary materials and machines to start their own ventures. This initiative will empower them with valuable skills, fostering independence and economic empowerment,” the presidential aide stated.
Thereafter, the SSAP performed the symbolic planting of the orange fleshed sweet potato alongside his Chief of Staff, Barr Yusuf Iyodo and other notable guests.
Speaking on the significance of the partnership, the Director-General of NigWED Project, Mr Lugard Okonobo explained that the re-usable sanitary pads is designed with inbuilt absorbents that can absorb any volume of fluid produced during menstrual period and can be washed and re-used, which will save women, particularly PWDs, a lot of money they would have spent on the ordinary disposable pads.
Mr Okonobo stated that the Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato Farming among Persons With Disabilities was initiated to support inclusion.
He explained that a small sample of orange fleshed potatoes can yield significant produce, offering substantial nutritional and medicinal value, adding that the leaves of these potatoes can be used to produce herbal tea, which has the potential to cure many terminal diseases.
“This project has the capacity to solve the problems of hunger and unemployment among PWDs, improving their economic empowerment and overall quality of life. By integrating agricultural training and menstrual health initiatives, we are addressing multiple facets of the challenges faced by PWDs,” Mr Okonobo stated.
