The Cross River State chapter of the WASH Media Network has distributed sanitary pads to students of Government Secondary School, Anantigha, Calabar South Local Government Area.
This is part of activities to mark the 2026 World Water Day, celebrated annually.
The outreach, held on Thursday, also featured hygiene education sessions aimed at promoting safe water practices, proper sanitation, and improved menstrual hygiene management among students, particularly adolescent girls.
Over 100 sanitary pads were distributed during the exercise, which formed part of efforts to strengthen awareness on the link between water, sanitation, hygiene, and gender equality in schools.
Speaking during the programme, a representative of the Borehole Drillers Association of Nigeria, Augustine Oyongha, educated students on the importance of protecting water sources and maintaining water infrastructure within their communities.
He emphasised responsible water usage and the need to safeguard public facilities to ensure sustainability.
Oyongha, who demonstrated the use of water testing kits, warned against the dangers of consuming contaminated water, noting that unsafe water poses serious health risks.
In her presentation, the Secretary of the WASH Media Network, Abenmire Williams, urged students to adopt healthy menstrual hygiene practices and called on male students to avoid stigmatising their female counterparts.
She said stigmatisation during menstruation could discourage girls from attending school and participating fully in academic activities, adding that girls should feel confident discussing menstrual health issues with trusted adults when necessary.
Earlier, the school principal, Valarie Ekpenyong Henshaw, commended the organisers for selecting the school for the outreach, while highlighting the institution’s challenges with access to water.
According to her, a borehole previously provided by the Cross River State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency became non-functional after about two years, leaving the school in need of a reliable water source to support hygiene and sanitation activities.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of the WASH Media Network, Archibong Jeremiah, said the outreach was designed to promote hygiene education and ensure a conducive learning environment for students.
He expressed concern that despite the school’s proximity to the local government council, it still lacks adequate water and sanitation facilities, stressing that the situation could be worse in more remote schools.
The event featured an interactive session with students, validation remarks by the Vice Principal (Administration), Felicia Archibong, and the distribution of sanitary pads to female students.
As part of the World Water Day commemoration,the network also organised a two-day radio town hall meeting aired on Sparkling 92.3 FM and HIT 95.9 FM in Calabar, where stakeholders discussed issues around water, sanitation, and gender under the theme, “Water and Gender – Where Water Flows, Equality Grows.”
