APM Terminals Onne helps empower young females in the community

APM Terminals Onne recently extended its community initiatives to Government Secondary School, Eleme-Onne, transforming classrooms into workshops with a session that involved teaching girls how to make eco-friendly sanitary pads.

The air buzzed with excitement as textbooks and boards were replaced with fabrics, natural absorbent materials, and sewing materials awaiting the touch of the students, aged 10-15.

The staff of Centre for Creative Development armed with smile and expert guidance, led the girls through the process of crafting reusable, washable sanitary pads. From arranging the various materials used to make the pad to stitching seams, the girls learned the empowering skill of creating their own comfort and security during their periods.

Beyond crafting, the workshop geared towards breaking taboos and fostering open conversations about menstruation. Through interactive sessions, myths and stigma surrounding periods were tackled and the girls learnt about their bodies and health in a safe and supportive environment.

As a company committed to sustainability, we didn’t just train them to produce sanitary pads. Our Community Relations Manager, Justin Okwuofu further distributed additional materials to each of the girls to produce more sanitary pads after the workshop and pledged to donate two sewing machines to the school to enable the students produce as many sanitary pads as possible.