Dignity in Every Cycle (DEC) Project:
Menstrual hygiene care for adolescent girls in IDP camps
At HEST (Holistic Empowerment and Sustainable Transformation Foundation), we believe that every girl deserves to live with dignity, confidence, and access to essential health information and services regardless of her circumstances. Yet for many adolescent girls and young women living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps across northeastern Nigeria, displacement often means limited access to hygiene products, health education, and protection services.
The Dignity in Every Cycle Project was designed to address these challenges through a holistic approach that combines menstrual hygiene support, health education, disease screening, and protection awareness for adolescent girls and young women in displacement settings. Through this initiative, HEST works to ensure that girls are equipped not only with the resources they need to manage their menstrual health but also with the knowledge and confidence to protect their overall well-being.
A core component of the project is the distribution of free sanitary pads to adolescent girls living in IDP camps. In many displacement settings, sanitary products are either unavailable or unaffordable, forcing girls to rely on unsafe alternatives such as cloth or tissue. These practices can lead to infections, discomfort, and embarrassment, often causing girls to withdraw from school and social activities.
To address this challenge, HEST provides sanitary pads directly to adolescent girls and accompanies the distribution with comprehensive menstrual hygiene education sessions. During these sessions, facilitators guide the girls on how to use sanitary pads properly during menstruation, how to safely and hygienically dispose of used sanitary pads and practical ways to care for themselves during their menstrual cycle, including personal hygiene and maintaining good health.
To ensure that the girls fully understand these practices, facilitators also demonstrate practically how sanitary pads are used, creating an interactive learning environment where participants can ask questions and receive clear guidance. These sessions help reduce stigma, build confidence, and promote healthier menstrual hygiene practices.
Recognizing that adolescent girls in displacement settings face broader health risks, the project also integrates health education and screening services. Beneficiaries receive free and confidential testing for HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B, enabling early detection and access to appropriate counselling and care where necessary.
In addition, HEST conducts educational sessions on sexually transmitted infections (STIs), where participants learn about the different ways STIs can be transmitted, the health effects and risks associated with untreated infections and prevention strategies, including safe health practices and awareness.
The program also provides age-appropriate sex education and family planning information, empowering young women with knowledge that helps them make informed decisions about their reproductive health and future. These discussions are conducted in a respectful and culturally sensitive manner to ensure participants feel safe and supported while learning about these important topics.
Another critical aspect of the project is addressing the protection challenges faced by adolescent girls in displacement settings. Many girls in IDP camps are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. To address this, HEST organizes training sessions on gender-based violence (GBV), helping girls understand their rights, recognize signs of abuse, and identify safe reporting channels and support services available to them.
Beyond working directly with the girls, the project also engages caregivers and community members to encourage supportive attitudes toward menstrual health and the protection of adolescent girls. This broader engagement helps reduce stigma and fosters an environment where girls can seek information and support without fear or shame.
One young beneficiary described the impact of the project in her own words:
“Before this program, I didn’t know much about how to take care of myself during my period. Sometimes I felt embarrassed and confused. The training helped me understand my body better. Now I know how to use pads properly, how to stay clean, and how to protect my health. I feel more confident and proud of myself.”
Stories like this reflect the transformative power of simple but meaningful interventions. What begins as the distribution of sanitary pads becomes an opportunity to equip young girls with essential knowledge, improve their health, and strengthen their confidence.
Through the Dignity in Every Cycle Project, HEST continues to promote the health, dignity, and empowerment of adolescent girls and young women living in displacement settings. By addressing menstrual hygiene, expanding access to health services, and providing critical education on reproductive health and protection, the initiative contributes to building healthier, safer, and more resilient communities.
Ultimately, this project reflects HEST’s commitment to ensuring that every girl regardless of the challenges she faces has the knowledge, support, and confidence to live a healthy and empowered life.