By Mabel Adinya Ade
The recent floods in Maiduguri have left countless families stranded, with many cut off from basic necessities. Among the hardest hit are women and girls, whose menstrual health and hygiene needs are often overlooked in emergency situations. With food supplies dwindling, access to clean water limited, and sanitation facilities damaged, many of these women face unimaginable challenges.
Pregnant women, trapped in waterlogged areas for days, have delivered in unsanitary conditions, and others have suffered miscarriages due to the harsh and dehumanizing circumstances. Amidst this crisis, a pressing concern remains largely unspoken – the plight of menstruating women and girls who have no access to sanitary pads, clean underwear, or water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities. For these women, the lack of menstrual hygiene products adds a layer of indignity and discomfort to an already dire situation.
Periods do not stop in emergencies, and yet, in times of crisis, the specific needs of women and girls are often deprioritized. The absence of adequate menstrual health management in these affected areas increases the risk of infection, physical discomfort, and emotional distress, leaving many to manage their periods with improvised, unhygienic materials.
The Adinya Arise Foundation (AAF) recognizes this urgent need and is calling on well-meaning individuals, organizations, and the government to step up and address the unique gender-specific challenges that menstruating women and girls face in the aftermath of this disaster. The AAF is prepared to deliver sanitary pads, detergents, clean sanitizers, and underwear to these vulnerable communities, but the magnitude of the need requires broader support and coordinated action.
A simple supply of sanitary pads, along with essential hygiene products like soap and clean clothing, can restore dignity to thousands of women and girls in Maiduguri. This is not just about meeting a basic need; it is about ensuring that women’s health and rights are protected even in times of crisis. We cannot afford to let menstrual hygiene fall through the cracks of disaster response.
Now more than ever, the call to action is clear. It is time for individuals, organizations, and policymakers to ensure that the unique needs of women and girls are prioritized. Together, we can alleviate their suffering and bring relief to those in need. The Adinya Arise Foundation stands ready to play its part, but we need your help to make a lasting impact.
Let us not allow the women and girls of Maiduguri to be left behind.
Mabel Adinya Ade is the Executive Director Adinya Arise Foundation AAF 8 Eket Close Area 8 Garki Abuja FCT Nigeria.
Email: aarisefoundation@gmail.com
08036145535
