To mark the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child, the Sanitary Pad Media Campaign (SPMC) hosted a virtual webinar on public speaking for the top 30 finalists of its My Period Stories essay competition.
Welcoming participants, SPMC Convener, Anikeade Funke-Treasure, highlighted the theme of the event, “The Girl I Am, The Change I Make: Girls on the Frontline of Crisis.” She said the initiative aimed to inspire confidence in young girls, helping them share their stories and pursue their dreams despite societal and personal barriers.
Speakers at the event included Oriyomi Pamela Sosu Otuka, Curator of the National Museum of Unity, Ibadan; Betty Dibiah Akeredolu-Ale, CEO of Branama TV; and Sophie Enitan Oluwa, Esq., Executive Director of NATINEEE. They provided mentorship and encouragement, describing their engagement as “planting seeds of meaningful impact.”
Funke-Treasure emphasized mentorship as a central pillar of SPMC’s mission, saying the programme seeks to nurture young girls into confident leaders and positive influencers.
Winners of the essay competition—Abasiekeme Eshiet, Klistivitonyon Ogunlana, and Temitope Akinyinka—were each paired with mentors, while participants expressed gratitude for the initiative’s transformative impact.
The event also featured a moving poetry performance titled “Menstrual Flow” by Victory Alleson, which drew enthusiastic applause.
Speakers used the platform to advocate for free access to reproductive health education, inclusion of girls with disabilities, and the involvement of men and boys in menstrual health campaigns.
“Girls should know they can be anything they aspire to be. They must never be afraid to dream big,” said Betty Dibiah Akeredolu-Ale.
Closing the session, Pamela Otuka called for greater investment in girls’ education, health, and participation in decision-making processes.
The SPMC reaffirmed its commitment to promoting menstrual health education and empowering young girls to lead, speak out, and thrive.