…educate young female students on menstrual hygiene & power of determination:
As part of its sexual awareness programme for young people, the Centre for Young People Development and Poverty Alleviation, CYDPAN on 3rd November, 2020 took its sensitization programme to Community Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Inyang, Ikot Ekpene local government area.
The programme targeted for young female students in select secondary schools across the state was kicked off by CYDPAN, a Non-governmental organization in Uyo to help equip girls with the right information about health and sexual education.
The Programme Progenitor, Mr Robert Boniface while speaking on the power of determination and positive thoughts, shared thought-provoking stories and lessons on personal positivity and the need to remain focus.
Mr Boniface emphasized that the starting point for greatness begins with a ‘make up mind’. A daring and resilient spirit that is ready to take responsibility and conquer all obstacles, this he said is a key ingredient of great men.
The CYDPAN Boss charged the students not to allow their immediate environment to determine how far they go in life, rather they should make good use of their youthful season by taking their studies serious as there lie unlimited path of greatness out there for them if they remain focused.
Again, he reiterated that CYDPAN as part of its mission will continue to address the many problems of youth development, poverty alleviation through mentorship and mental re-engineering.
Earlier, the Resource Person, Mrs Enobong David Etim who spoke emphatically to the SS3 students of CSCS, Ikot Inyang, on menstruation, personal hygiene and the different changes young girls experience during the period of puberty highlighted the changes to include, breast development, growing of hair around the pubic areas, curvy body, oiler skin, wider hips and feeling of attraction towards the opposite sex.
Mrs Etim, a nurse advised the students not to express panic as those signs and changes are part of the maturity growth, which means they were moving from childhood to adolescents.
Mrs Etim reeled out some of the challenges young girls face while undergoing puberty to include, attention from boys, unwanted pregnancy, sexual feelings towards boys among others. The professional nurse advised the students to take precautions especially when they begin to experience this changes by being cautious of their actions, responsible and staying chaste to avoid actions culpable of truncating their future.
On menstrual hygiene, Mrs Etim advised the students to always have regular bath, use of pad, take fruits, eat balance diet and cultivate an active lifestyle by having regular exercise as this will help them solve some of the many problems associated with menstrual cramps.
Also, the professional nurse explained in details the three cycles of menstruation and how to manage menstrual cramps. She listed; normal cycle which spans between the period of 28 days, the short cycle span between 16-18 days while the long cycle spans between 30-31 days respectively.
Expressing a heart of gratitude, the Vice Principal of CSCS, Mr Effiong Akpan appreciated the team for the knowledge impacted the students, stating that the knowledge shared with the students will take them to a height of high learning, as they would now become conscious and take responsibility in their growth process.
Mr Akpan emphasized that the drive by CYDPAN was laudable in that, it addresses the pressing challenge of poverty alleviation and mental development of young people. He expressed hope that in CYDPAN and solicited that more programmes should be created to accommodate the boys as they too, form a part of the main problem highlighted by the group in its lecture.
The event was laced with questions raised by the eager students and distribution of health study pamphlets to the students.
