… Aiyedatiwa Committed to Protecting the Girl Child — Dr. Seun Osamaye
The Ondo State Government has launched the “Tech a Girl; Pad a Girl Child” initiative, distributing 5,000 sanitary towels and training thousands of schoolgirls on digital skills as part of efforts to promote menstrual hygiene and digital empowerment among young girls.
The event, which coincided with the commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child, was held in Akure with over 1,000 students from schools across the Central Senatorial District in attendance.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Seun Osamaye, said the initiative was designed to empower the girl child while fostering respect and understanding among boys toward their female peers, especially during menstruation.
She disclosed that the programme would extend to other senatorial districts, emphasizing that the empowerment of girls with technology skills aligns with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s vision to prepare young girls for opportunities in the digital age.
“We must build a society where girls are not limited by gender, poverty, or stereotypes. Every parent, teacher, and leader has a role to play in supporting them,”
— Dr. Osamaye said.
Speaking on the year’s theme, “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis,” Dr. Osamaye highlighted the resilience and leadership potential of girls even in challenging circumstances, urging them to see themselves as drivers of change, not victims of society.
The Chairman of the Ondo State Information Technology Agency (SITA), Hon. Tomide Akinribido, who served as Guest Speaker, took participants through sessions on STEM education, including data analysis, graphic design, and ICT skills.
Akinribido stressed the importance of equipping the girl child with digital literacy to ensure that “no girl is left behind in the fast-evolving tech world.”
Also speaking, a member of the Ondo State Hospital Management Board, Mrs. Aarinola Adamolekun, educated the students on menstrual hygiene and healthy living.
She urged the girls to embrace their menstrual cycles with confidence and self-respect while advising boys to support, not ridicule, their female classmates.
“Boys should protect, not mock their sisters and classmates. Menstruation is a natural and powerful part of womanhood,”
— Adamolekun advised.
Students from over 18 secondary schools across the state benefited from the distribution and training exercise.
Flagging off the initiative, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, said the government remains committed to improving the welfare and educational standards of the girl child.
“Celebrating the girl child is celebrating the future. The Aiyedatiwa-led administration will continue to invest in the education and empowerment of young girls,”
— Prof. Ajibefun stated.
Some beneficiaries who spoke with journalists expressed gratitude to the state government for the gesture, pledging to apply the digital skills they learned and to champion menstrual hygiene awareness among their peers.
