Education Nigeria Project #70342

Reusable Pad-Making Training for 50 Disabled Girls

by Equitable Medicaid and Clinical Research Ltd/Gte

Project Report | Sep 28, 2026
Her Disability Should Not Define Her Future

By Ugbede-Ojo Dominic Kadiri | Project Leader

Students learning how to sew sanitary pads

Dear Donors,

Imagine being a teenage girl who gets her period every month but cannot always afford a sanitary pad.

Now imagine facing that same challenge while living with a disability.

For some girls in rural Northern Nigeria, menstruation comes with difficulties many people rarely think about. A toilet may not be accessible to someone using crutches or a wheelchair. There may be nowhere private to change. A family struggling to meet daily needs may simply not have money for pads every month.

UNICEF says girls and women with disabilities can face greater challenges managing their periods safely and with dignity. They may experience stigma connected to both menstruation and disability, while inaccessible water and sanitation facilities can make managing a period even harder.

WHO estimates that around 500 million people who menstruate worldwide lack access to menstrual materials and suitable water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. WHO also identifies people with physical or intellectual disabilities among groups facing greater menstrual-health difficulties.

But we want to do more than give 50 girls sanitary pads.

We want to teach them how to make their own.

During five days of practical training, the girls will learn how to cut fabric, sew reusable sanitary pads, select suitable materials, care for the finished pads, and practise safe menstrual hygiene.

Then comes another part of their story.

Each participant will receive a starter kit and small grant to help her begin making reusable pads after the training.

A girl who once depended entirely on someone else to buy her pads can learn to make them herself.

She can make another for her sister.

She can make pads for other girls in her community.

And with the right support, she may be able to sell what she makes and earn some income of her own.

UNICEF Nigeria has previously documented pad-making programmes where girls learned to produce reusable sanitary pads from affordable materials. UNICEF reported that sanitary pads can be expensive or inaccessible for some Nigerian girls, leading some to use rags or paper instead.

For a girl living with a disability, earning even a small income can help with needs beyond menstruation. Money from her work could help pay for school materials, medicine, transportation, or mobility aids.

We want these 50 girls to be seen for what they can learn, make, and contribute—not only for their disabilities.

To our donors who have already supported this project, thank you. Your donations are helping us move toward a training where a piece of fabric, a sewing skill, and an opportunity to learn can become something a girl carries with her long after the five days are over.

If this project speaks to you, please share it with your family and friends. You can also start an individual fundraiser and invite others to support the training.

She may need support today, but with the right skills, tomorrow she may be the one making something another girl needs.

Thank you for believing in these girls.

With gratitude,
Ugbede-Ojo Dominic Kadiri

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Jun 3, 2026
Disabled Girls Face Barriers to Menstrual Hygiene

By Ugbede-Ojo Dominic Kadiri | Project Leader

Dear Donors,

Thank you for your support of the Reusable Pad-Making Training for 50 Disabled Girls project. Your generosity is helping create opportunities for girls who often face multiple challenges related to disability, poverty, menstrual hygiene, and economic independence.

We are pleased to share that preparations for the first phase of the project are progressing. Arrangements are currently being made to identify and select the first batch of beneficiaries. Particular attention is being given to creating a training environment that is safe, accessible, and suitable for girls with different forms of disabilities. This process is important to help ensure that participants can fully benefit from the training and related activities.

Many disabled girls in rural Northern Nigeria face difficulties managing their menstrual health. Limited access to sanitary products, inadequate facilities, and financial hardship often affect their education, health, and participation in community life. For many, opportunities to earn an income are also extremely limited.

The donations received so far have allowed us to begin planning activities and beneficiary selection. However, additional support is needed to fully implement the project for all intended participants, provide training materials, distribute starter kits, and offer the small business grants planned under the project.

The training will equip beneficiaries with practical skills in reusable pad production, basic sewing techniques, menstrual hygiene management, and small business management. Participants will also receive materials needed to begin producing reusable pads within their communities.

We are grateful for the encouragement and support received from donors. As the beneficiary selection process progresses, we look forward to sharing updates, photographs, and stories from the girls who will participate in the first phase of this project.

Thank you for helping create opportunities that can improve dignity, independence, and economic participation for disabled girls.

Warm regards,

Ugbede-Ojo Dominic Kadiri
Project Leader

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Feb 2, 2026
Training Disabled Girls in Pad-Making

By Ugbede-Ojo Dominic Kadiri | Project Leader

Dear supporters,

We are grateful to those who have contributed toward the “Reusable Pad-Making Training for 50 Disabled Girls” project. Your support has brought us closer to helping these girls gain skills and independence. The reason the project has not yet started is that we were searching for an inclusive, disability-friendly venue to hold the training. We are pleased to share that a suitable training center has now been secured and is being prepared for use. With the funds received, we are ready to begin the first batch of this life-changing program.

Many disabled girls in rural Northern Nigeria face barriers to managing menstruation. Lack of sanitary products, safe toilets, and support often forces them to miss school or remain isolated during their periods. Poverty and limited family assistance make it difficult for them to meet basic hygiene and health needs. Without intervention, these challenges continue to limit their education, independence, and wellbeing.

This project will train 50 girls in pad-making over five days, covering hygiene, sewing techniques, and basic business skills. Each participant will receive a starter kit and a small grant to launch a pad-making business. This approach not only addresses menstrual hygiene but also provides a source of income and confidence.

By equipping these girls with skills and tools, they can manage their periods with dignity, earn income, and support their families. Over time, they may train others in their communities, multiplying the impact. This initiative will help disabled girls stay in school, participate more fully in society, and move toward self-reliance.

Your continued support ensures that this training can begin and change the lives of these 50 young girls.

Warm regards,
Ugbede-Ojo Dominic Kadiri
Project Leader

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