How period poverty affects young girls and women in Nigeria.

Cups of change
Feb 28
2 min read

Updated: Mar 1

In the blogpost prior to this, I posted statistics of poverty across Nigeria. For us to get more understanding and awareness of our fellow womens across the world but especially in Nigeria.

Rejoice, 15 years old.

This girl is Rejoice, she is 15 years old and her lifetime of menstruation has just begun.

In the video she mentions that pad costs 500 naira before. But now it can be up to 1,300 naira.

To put this in perspective, we also have to look on the General income, IF parents have work.

I Googled a little quickly and found theese statistic that the median is 100.000 naira a month. In swedish krona, this is 715kr or 66$, 63 €.

From my experience. That sum at least for what I have seen. Not a true reflection of the situation. Maybe in the citys but not in Villages and rural areas.

The inflation in Nigeria is staggering high, and prices on foodstuffs and staple food is at an all time high, rice, beans, Yam and other grains is very expensive.

On top of that, the prices on female hygieneproducts also has risen.

Before it was 500N, wich is roughly 3 kr or 30 cents in both $€.

Now it is 1300N wich is rougly 9kr or 80cents €$.

For us westernes it seems like a small sum,

But when putting it into perspective where a montly income could be 30,000Naira. It really is expensive.

Just theese small facts, at least for me,

Gives me energy to try and create awareness about period poverty,

My project to collect menstrual cups, and reusable safe periodprotection even more urgent and important.

Theese women deserve to have the same rights as we do. They deserve to have the option to choose.

And the option to continue school and work whitout missing out because of a heavy flow.

If you feel like I do.

Share it.