Good evening. And thank you for listening today to The Good Citizen Show. My name is Dami Cruz and your host for this evening.
It’s a lovely Friday, and it’s going to be such an exciting conversation today. And am looking forward to exciting weeks.
First of all, I think everyone in Lagos and everywhere around Nigeria now, we are either celebrating or lamenting the new petrol prices.
I think for marketers it may be a good thing that the petrol prices have increased and then for us regular Nigerians. You are now buying Petrol for N179 per liter, which is at least N14 more than you would have spent a few weeks ag.
And lucky enough, even that same that same Friday I was just lucky to even buy petrol for N170. Lo and behold, a few days after we are buying for 179. So, we have to keep going. We have to ensure that we actually go and just like even read in the news that things are going to get a bit tougher. We’re trying to diversify from the whole oil revenue, and it might get harder before they get better.
After how many years of depending on oil for money? Then the time has come that we need to continuously go towards our effort towards diversifying our income.
Uhm, today I have very just very special guest with me really and will be talking about certain important topic which is very very very essential, especially in our clime and especially in Nigeria. Unfortunately, we are known as the poverty capital of the world, which is an unfortunate incident, really bored. We need to change that narrative as well
But before we also Go on, for those of you who have not gotten your PVC, do go ahead and get your PVC, I know it can be very frustrating even they have tried to frustrate me myself, but in certain point where I felt like I’m just going to give up and not get this thing anymore.
And short stories like, I went to the local government to say, oh, I’ve taken my biometrics. I’ve gotten my, I’ve registered. I’ve taken my biometrics. I need to know when I can pick up my card. And before I go there there’s just this massive queue in front of the gate.
The gate was locked and everything and then, I got to the gate, I told the security man, please can I just get in? I just need to know if I can pick up my card. The guy just shuns me like it looks like me like I don’t exist. He doesn’t even answer me. Then he points to his second and said ask him.
I say okay, no problem. I go there asking, I said chief how far. Can I go inside and check this and it’s like I don’t know. Leave me. Like that kind of I don’t know. Leave me alone. It is got to that point, I just felt you know what, I’m done. Like I can’t deal with this. You can’t let me stress myself because I want to get to PVC right now, but we have to still go through stress.
So eventually I’m still going to have to go back and then deal whatever suffering that they want to put on me but maybe there’s also considering, since I still have my NYSC khaki, Maybe I should just wear it and go. Since they were allowing NYSC guys enter freely. So, I should carry it, enter with khaki and come out with mufti. Who knows? Hopefully, my khaki still fit me, either way, after how many years.
And so today we are going to be talking about you know “Eradicating Period Poverty”. There are so many girls and most likely young girls who are out there, you know, they see their menstrual cycle for the first time, and they cannot even afford to buy a pad or a sanitary pad, for example, and it can be very, very essential and that really it puts them in a very, very difficult state of sanitization, uncleaniness, etc., which is very very detrimental to their health in the long run.
So, we are actually having a conversation which I will introduce them soon. So how we can eradicate this and actually educate a lot of girls and give them the opportunity to, you know, be better prepared for such a scenario.
And did you know that many girls from the low-income families around the world are skipping school because they cannot afford tampons or pads? Missing school during menstrual cycles has been a well-known pattern in developing countries, like Kenya for years and now the reality is setting in that this is a trend for low-income girls everywhere, including the Western world, unfortunately.
Really, I mean, once again I think I was seeing, I think I watched the video on Tik Tok earlier where there were two guys even though they were from a well to do family. There were two guys and a girl in the house, and one of the guys are entered the room and told the girl, oh my God, you are bleeding. And the girl was screaming, like what?! Where, how? Someone was like ok, she’s bleeding. There was just this panic, literally panicking. The girl was like, what am I going to do? I am just going to go home. You can’t go home. You’re dying. You’re bleeding. You’ll bleed out. The guy calls 911 and like, please she’s bleeding from her place. The people at 911 now started laughing. They don’t understand what is going on ’cause these are teenagers.
This is their first time seeing such a thing, and so imagine this was just a movie. But imagine what a girl most likely will go through with her first time when she sees this and she’s wondering Oh, my God, what have I done? You know that kind of thing
So today we’re having a conversation with Ms. Temitope Akinrotimi, the program manager at Children Empowerment funds. you know, and they are really ensuring that we’ll talk about what they do as well, and her commitment to work coupled with her love for children has helped us organization and the organization reach over 1000 girls in far and desert communities in Nigeria. With her girl’s hygiene project and over 300 children with quality education in highly remote areas in Northern Nigeria as well, you know, Burundi amidst others.
So, thank you for coming to the show. I also have another guest with me, I’ll ask her to introduce herself. What’s your name? Tell us your name
Opefoluwa: Opefoluwa Bolawatipe
Dami Crus: Opefoluwa
Opefoluwa: I volunteer at Children Empowerment Fund.
Dami Cruz: Ok, thank you for coming to the show today. It’s really exciting to have you and try to educate us on what we need to do to ensure that you know, we educate everyone out there to support in any way that they can, ’cause it can be very difficult, really in certain situations like this, so thank you for joining us.
So, the first question I will ask you really, is trying to understand this whole issue. But first can you tell us you know about the Children Empowerment Funds, and You know what? What is really the driving force behind this particular project and this initiative.
Temitope: OK, thank you so much. Children Empowerment Funds is basically an educational, nonprofit organization. And we have the responsibility of catering for the physical and educational needs of children in northern Nigeria as well as other remote parts of Africa.
Dami Cruz: Ok
Temitope: So, talking about Burundi, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and then particularly northern part of Nigeria.
Dami Cruz: Ok. Yeah well, why I know that northern Nigeria is one of the unfortunately, there’s a high number of you know uneducated low income and obviously, it’s one of the places that’s been plagued with poverty over the past few years as select business. Even though you’re focusing, why is still the focus being, as much as it’s clear, like ok, that’s the reason. But you know, sometimes you’re like you want it to be more diverse, so why have you chosen to really just go down to the north? And maybe not necessarily leave out the south and the rest but deeply focused in that
Temitope: Ok, so the truth is, we do a couple of things here in the South and other places. I mean it’s obvious. Devices all around us in Nigeria. You know the vulnerability of the children
Dami Cruz: Hmmm hmmm
Temitope: but you know we see with our eyes. We visit. We walk with them. So we understand the gap that exists
Dami Cruz: Ok
Temitope: Lagos, Ibadan, and the likes have access to education. You have free education down here. You know you have access to; you go to school and all you need to do is get maybe your breakfast to school or whatever it is. It doesn’t apply up north, you know
Dami Cruz: Hmmm
Temitope: I know that currently in Niger state for example, they are secondary schools that are closed down
Dami Cruz: Hmmm
Temitope: You know, so we work with our mission schools
Dami Cruz: Right
Temitope: Who do not close down when insurgency starts, or when it’s really on the high
Dami Cruz: Yes
Temitope: So even If anything else to happen to these kids when Boko Haram or whatever it is, bandits attack and all that they get into spaces where they still continue to educate them
Dami Cruz: Ok
Temitope: So, the schools are not shut down completely
Dami Cruz: Hmm hmm
Temitope: The children still learn, maybe in the houses of teachers, you know, missionaries and all that ground, so yeah.
Dami Cruz: Ok, I mean it’s human. It’s very, very clear. How you know why you have chosen to go there? I mean, especially in the North, because really things are hard, especially in the North. I’ve never been to the north
Temitope: wow
Dami Cruz: Never at all
Temitope: You should visit
Dami Cruz: Like the closest I think I’ve ever been if you want to call Abuja the north.
Temitope: Wow
Dami Cruz: It’s Abuja
Temitope: Wow.
Dami Cruz: but, sometimes, you know I hear stories, so it would be nice to visit. Go to Kaduna. Go to Kano
Temitope: Right
Dami Cruz: ’cause I know my my uncle. Well, I think he did his youth service in Kaduna.
Temitope: Right
Dami Cruz: So, he’s always telling stories about you know his experience was like then
Temitope: Yeah
Dami Cruz: But not now, but then
(Temitope laughs)
But then other wants and this was maybe 19, long before I was born, but you know, that’s how it is and you know this girl’s hygiene project that you decided to do
Temitope: Hmm hmmm
Dami Cruz: How do you actually intend to actualize the plans for this project? What’s the project about and how do you plan to achieve the plans for this project?
Temitope: OK, so for the girls hygeine projects where we’ve done so far in the past, less than one year is actually to make provision of six-month supply of sanitary materials, and that includes sanitary pipe supply for six months, underwear, that’s panties
Dami Cruz: hmmm hmmm
Temitope: and sometimes pant liners. If we are able to. But of course, body soap which is bathing soaps ’cause most of them do not even bathe
Dami Cruz: Hmm
Temitope: during their period, you know. And one other thing that we had to read is an hygiene book
Dami Cruz: Right
Temitope: Which we have written in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo depending on where we are working per time you know.
Dami Cruz: Right
Temitope: So, we distribute It to the kids. Yeah
Dami Cruz: OK, that’s very interesting to be able to have translated to the at least three major languages in Nigeria
Temitope: Absolutely
Dami Cruz: We should consider other languages too Maybe like.
Temitope: Actually, we are working on that.
Dami Cruz: I’m thinking, another language you could think of a language spoken in Benin for example, or Delta
Temitope: Right
Dami Cruz: I mean, like we probably know that they are overg over 300 tribes in Nigeria
Temitope: Yeah! But I mean it depends on where we’re working.
Dami Cruz: Yeah
Temitope: So right now, we just focus on Igbo speaking, Hausa speaking, Yoruba speaking communities
Dami Cruz: Right
Temitope: But we really want to launch into those areas also
Dami Cruz: Definitely. And obviously, I will open the phone lines for anyone who wants to call in to ask any questions or also wants to support in any way, because I definitely know that this is not easy. You know, running this kind of business without funding
Temitope: Yup
Dami Cruz: or this kind of, you know, like you say, the NGO space it is God’s work.
(Dami Cruz and Temitope laughs)
Temitope: It really is
Dami Cruz: But at the same time,God’s works sometimes need some financial resources.
Temitope: Absolutely
Dami Cruz: Yes, he will provide, you know, being interested in all that, knowing the big issues is like, yeah, the earth is the lord and fullness thereof, so he knows who to send to give you the money.
Temitope: Yeah
Dami Cruz: But if you lose it in your heart and say look, I need to fund this project at the same time please, I will open the phone lines if you have any questions to ask about how we can support and the Phone lines to call is 0700-923-923-923. Again, that is 0700-923-923-923. You can send a WhatsApp message on 0817-613-6193. Yes, 0817-313-6193. Yes. So, it’s 0817-313-6193.
So, you can send a WhatsApp message to that or call 0700- 923-923-923 and I will continue with this conversation by asking you know, can you tell me you’ve mentioned about how you can like if you say if you can do so pantyliners
Temitope: Hmm hmmm
Dami Cruz: Can you tell us those who have supported you and who you’re collaborating with on this particular project on itself? Who have helped you to achieve some of your goals so far
Temitope: Right? ok, so the first set of people I would mention would be individuals really. We’ve had a lot of individuals from within Nigeria and outside of the country who have been a part of this
Dami Cruz: Hmm
Temitope: We also have some corporate organisations who do not directly support GHP. That’s the Girls Hygiene Project
Dami Cruz: Ok
Temitope: But supports Children Empowerment Forms As a whole
Dami Cruz: Hmmm hmm
Temitope: So, an example of that would be Special Foundation
Dami Cruz: Okay
Temitope: There’s been a tremendous blessing to us. We also have this partnership that we just go into with Communal Health Service Scheme
Dami Cruz: Hmmm hmmm
Temitope: You know, and they’re actually taking care of the health part
Dami Cruz: Right
Temitope: You know of this intervention. So sometimes when we go on these trips for the Girl’s Hygiene Projects, we meet with girls who have needs outside of the sanitary pads
Dami Cruz: Hmmm
Temitope: You know, issues with menstrual things and whatever it is in terms of their bodies as ladies, you know. So yeah, we have those, We have CHSS, that’s what we call them, Communal Health service scheme.
Dami Cruz: Okay
Temitope: Working with us on this. Yeah, so that’s it pretty much
Dami Cruz: Ok, I will actually throw this out too, I think Fopeyemi. I hope I got that name right. Yeah. Ok ’cause you are the one for your volunteering with this. So, in a manner speaking, you’re also a collaborator. In manner speaking, so, what has it been like for your words, your experience being as a volunteer? Why did you even choose, let me ask one question, why you choose to volunteer first? Have you been in the Community where this has happened? So, why did you choose to volunteer for this particular project?
Opefoluwa: OK, I joined Children empowerment funds not to be a volunteer for GHP in particular,
Dami Cruz: Ok
Opefoluwa: I just joined to be a volunteer for every project and all, but you know, the GHP team came in and I saw how even educated girls are not aware of how they should take care of themselves during their period.
Dami Cruz: Hmmm
Opefoluwa: They don’t know how to go about it. These are so-called educated girls. How much more girls that do not have access to school. Girls that do not have access to Schools where they do extracurricular activities. You know, in my school, for example, the secondary school I attended, we had classes to talk about oh how should you take care of yourself as a girl during your menstrual period and all and so. I just saw the need to really focus on that ’cause we’re talking about the future. Girls are the ones that we will produce in the nearest future. And if their reproductive health is at stake, there is little that would be done when the time comes, and so I just saw that vision and I was really sold out to that.
Dami Cruz: Hmmm
Opefoluwa: But really, I did not join CEF for GHP.
Dami Cruz: Yeah. Yeah. OK, OK, that’s fine. So, you’re just enjoying that whole idea of Volunteerism really which is laudable. It’s a laudable effort, really, because now in our African clime it’s just more recently that the whole idea of volunteerism really started. You know, coming up. Not many people want to volunteer. And I mean I might be killed. Some people would kill me for this, you know, that kind of you know, when you’re a volunteer, many, especially in my experience so far, is like someone says, I want to volunteer and there’s an expectancy to say you have to pay me money. It’s expected as a volunteer they have to pay me money. My understanding of that is like you’re volunteering is not expecting, you’re not meant to expect it. It is something that if it is given, fine
Temitope: Hmm hmm
Dami Cruz: if it isn’t, fine. But it’s not like look it is my right to collect transport fare even if it’s 5000. It’s different. It’s like they’re actually dictating what they actually going to collect. It is like they are negotiating salary. Look for me to come and volunteer for you
Temitope: Hmmm
Dami Cruz: it is 5K Minimum. And I’m like you’re volunteering, right. And I’ve heard people actually not attack me like, yeah, you see, it’s like there’s like no. You’re volunteering because you want to get the experience, right, or you want to support at the same time. I volunteered when I did, When I went to university and that was for me to gain a gather experience because I mean fresh out of secondary school, you want to be looking for work. I schooled in the UK and everybody in all manner of speaking is looking for experience
Temitope: Right
Dami Cruz: Uh, like entry level work now, I say oh, entry level work, you need to do two to three years’ experience. Like I just finished. I just finished university which experience are you expecting me to have. you are expecting five years’ experience as an entry level work. So, I needed to do something that would give me the experience I need so I could eventually get paid, right? So, which is something that really is accepting in that world, but you know also as well. Is there anything you know that our listeners can help with especially for these projects that you’re talking about, Child Empowerment Fund and the Girl Hygiene project.
Temitope: Absolutely, I’ll have Fope speak about that regarding what the public can actually do
Dami Cruz: Ok
Temitope: Yeah
Fopeoluwa: OK, so I’ve heard a couple of people ask this question of how do I impact my world? How do I make it change? How do I make it difference? You know, the thing is It’s not done alone.
Dami Cruz: Hmm hmm
Fopeoluwa: You can’t do so much alone, but with a team of people you can do so much, and so really, that’s what we need people for. To volunteer, to also fund the project, you can make a difference by funding a project, because the truth is these guys we reach out to, they are always very grateful for these things. They are always very grateful and happy because it’s it’s an opportunity they wouldn’t have dreamt of on a normal day. And so, you know when they see people, volunteers come around them and they are so cheerful with them. They are so loving. They are always very happy, and you know, sometimes it gets very emotional. And some of these girls reach out to us even after the project to say, oh, I’m going through this. I have this particular health issue or I’m going through this this problem. I don’t through this trouble, molestation and the lights, and you know as volunteers you know you are just opening your hands to these people. You’re giving them that mothering feeling you are giving them. That feeling of oh, you have a family forget what is happening in your house forget what is happening in your life. You have a family you are loved and so this is how we need people. We need people who would join in this course. The girls are getting more by the day, and so we need more volunteers. I personally would not be able to reach out to 1000 people very well, but then I have other people, other volunteers with me. We have a team of volunteers in CHF and they’ve been doing amazingly well, and you know that we need more and more importantly we need funds. We need people to fund the project. You know?! As little as a student, your allowance is 10K per month. You can do 500, as in I think the problem with you know, with humans, our mentality is my 500 would do nothing. But the truth is if 1000 people is saying my 500 would not do anything, let’s bring the 500 naira together. It’s going to make a lot of change, you know, and so that’s really how we need people. We need people to fund the project and to go with us to these fields.
Dami Cruz: OK, thank you very much. Like you mentioned, it leads to little drops make an ocean, really
Temitope: Right
Dami Cruz: Make a notion really right. And so, I think I’m most of that most people mentality really is that, because unfortunately, you know, like only N500. What will N500 do? You will feel like even N500, some people that even me self N500 is not enough for me. So how am I going to give you N500? You know that kind of speaking and but before we go ahead, we’ll take a short break and when we return, we would have finalise this conversation and try to understand how you can also support them. So basically, you’ve been hearing support us. You’ll be hearing from our volunteer, so we’ll be able to give you the information of how you can actually find reach out to fund or reach out to volunteer. So, we would be able to give you the information, how you can reach out to fund or reach out to volunteer.
So, we will take a short break and do not forget you can still call us on 0700-923-923-923 and this is The Good Citizen show. Do not go anywhere. I’ll be right back.
(Break)
Ok. And we are bck on The Good Citizen Show on Inspiration 92.3 FM. My name is Dami Cruz. I’m the host for this evening. And I have with me Temitope and Fopefoluwa. Is it Fopeoluwa or Fopefoluwa? Just to be sure
Fopefoluwa: Fopefoluwa
Dami Cruz: OK. My mind is entering a song actually. I think it’s Finyifoluwa
(Laughs)
Fopefoluwa. So, thank you for joining us and actually mentioning those things as you mentioned. If you just tuning in, we are talking about, you know, eradicating period poverty, ensuring that the girls, especially in low-income communities, get access to the items that they need to keep themselves healthy, especially during the times of the menstrual cycle.
And you will not believe that what many women and ladies take for granted. You know, just being able to walk into a supermarket and get sanitary pad. Some girls do not have that luxury and so really, that’s what we are talking about today. How you can fund. How you can support you know these girls who are going through such challenges.
So, we just Kind of rounded up with Fope telling us that you need people to volunteer. They need people to fund, so how can they then reach out to you to support and access, you know this project?
Temitope: OK, so I’ll speak to that, but I like to start by saying like Fope said, everyone can do something.
Dami Cruz: Hmm hmm
Temitope: You know, the little funds you put in, can do a lot. One person can reach one person and then we can it up from there
Dami Cruz: Yes
Temitope: It costs less than N6000 to supply girls with sanitary pads for the next six months
Dami Cruz: Hmm
Temitope: As we well as Panties and bathing and an hygeine book.
Dami Cruz: Hmmmm
Temitope: So, let me say this quickly, most of these girls were talking about do not even wear pants is to start with. So, when it’s time for their period, it’s always very difficult, and that’s why we try as much as we can to get period pants for them.
Dami Cruz: Hmmm. Right
Temitope: So, yours could be I want to give you period pants. You know, I wanna make payment for period pants
Dami Cruz: Hmm
Temitope: It costs N500 to get one, you know?
Dami Cruz: Hmm hmm
Temitope: Sometimes you could even get the China made ones for 300 naira and they are grateful for it. It’s so each person can reach another person. We would like to state that it’s not about all gifts so much. If you have so much, absolutely, but if you have so little as well, it will go a long way
Dami Cruz: Definitely
Temitope: So, you can actually reach us via our social media handles, let me start with our Instagram and that would be @childrenempowermentfunds. With an S
Dami Cruz: Okay
Temitope: @childrenemploymentfunds. With an S. And you can also reach us, you know, via our website, cesafrica.org. Cesafrica.org. You can actually reach us via e-mail because some people love emails. Ces. Sorry. Info@cesafrica.org. info@cesafrica.org. You canalso call us on this line 0913-500-0606. 0913-500-0606, and we will be glad to hear from you.
Dami Cruz: Ok, thank you very much. Really, that is been very enlightening show really. Trying to, enlightning conversation, really. To understand what this girls really, like you’ve mentioned, 500 naira is enough to buy, like we were saying, as if N500 cannot do anything. N500 is enough.
I mean, like she said, even for students, in most cases I know for students it’s very, very very difficult because I know sometimes in certain schools, they literally bill you, which is very weird. I still find that weird when I hear it. When I have conversations, I say you have to buy handout. You have to buy this. You have to buy. And I am like, Like you’re a student. Where do they expect, I mean, yes, your parents are giving you money, but do they expect you to keep buying. I mean by handouts. Buy textbooks. If you don’t buy textbook you can’t write my exam. If you don’t buy my textbook, you can’t do my this thing. They will give you a textbook number. And I am like come on.
This is this is this is this is a very very very challenging situation. I think we should even have a conversation about this kind of thing. How, really many students really are (voice becomes inaudible) literally. In school, you know that’s why you have someone will call the father, and say Daddy, Hey, how much is your school fees? Meanwhile your school fees is N25,000. You’d say, my school 50k because you know exactly what that extra N25,000 is going to do for you.
We are not encouraging lying, but I mean, it feels like the system forces you to do so, unfortunately really. And but again, we thank you for coming to the show. So, if you really do want to contribute to this, you can reach out to them on their Instagram handle, @childrenempowermentfunds. With an S or cesafrica.org and they will definitely be able to answer you as well. And your phone number is
Temitope: My phone number
Dami Cruz: Ok. Don’t worry. If they need to support, they’ll just definitely would have to reach out to you. So, we don’t have random people putting up information there. So, thank you for listening to the Good Citizen Show. Just before we finish, I just have one question for both of you. A trivial question, really. Would you prefer your train ride or boat cruise?
Temitope: A train ride
Dami Cruz: A train ride
Temitope: I went on a boat trip to Benin Republic recently. it wasn’t wasn’t funny
(Dami Cruz laughs)
3 hours on water
Dami Cruz: Ok. I can imagine how scary that could be
Temitope: Yeah
Dami Cruz: For Fope, which would you prefer, intimate gathering or large party
Fopefoluwa: Intimate gathering
Dami Cruz: I mean, who doesn’t right?
(Dami and Fopefoluwa laughs)
Thank you all for listening to Th Good Citizen Show. We would be right back here again at 5:30 PM, Inspiration 2.3 FM. The show is brought to you by CSR-in-Action and sponsored by ACT Foundation. Do have a lovely weekend and bye bye.
