Ayodele Olalere
The need for proper hygiene among young female children was recently emphasised during the visit of a Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, Dope Divas Forum, to Maryland Primary School, Lagos, as a way of giving back to the society.
The organization with over 6,000 members across the country is a group of women from different walks of life who have made a name for themselves in their chosen professions.
The visit to the school was part of activities marking the end of the year of the organization.
During the visit, female pupils in the school were lectured on the need to maintain proper hygiene especially during their monthly circle.
They were also educated on need to abstain from sexual activities at a young age, as well focus on their education.
The convener of the group, Mrs Mimi Raman told the pupils to speak out whenever anyone makes attempt to touch their body indecently.
” As a girl child, you need to be very clean at all times and avoid body odour. For those of you that have started seeing your menstrual cycle, you need to take care of yourself. Always dispose your menstrual properly and don’t use a pad for too long. You should not allow any man to molest you. You should always tell your parents if anyone touches your private parts, you must speak out. Your education must come first and avoid sexual relationship,” she counselled them,” Mimi said.
Menstrual pads and written materials were distributed to the pupils.
On the motive behind the visit, Mimi said the motive was to give back to the society and inculcate the need for proper hygiene on the pupils at a young age.
She said the organization is concerned about the well being of girl child and as such deemed it fit to visit the school and education the female students.
” The motive is to educate the girl child. We also wanted to encourage them in learning too. We want them to know that leaning is the first thing to do, and they must take good care of their hygiene.
Formed over three years ago, Mimi said the group had engaged in other activities such as visit to orphanages, street campaign against sexual abuse of minors and domestic violence.
She added the organization was so much concern about the plight of women as the men folk has wrong perception of women.
“The organization is about educating women. A lot of men thinks the only thing women do is gossip, that we have nothing to bring on the table. So some years back, I called some women together and told them we should form a group to educate other women. Some of us are medical practitioners, accountants, successful business women and other professionals.
“As women , we can be responsible to ourselves, our parents and our husbands.As an organization, we empower ourselves.
I created this group so that we women can be useful to ourselves and the society,”she said.
