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Twenty girls at Ifueko Education Centre in Benin City, Edo State, have participated in a leadership and menstrual hygiene outreach organised by the Pink Compass Initiative to promote early leadership development, build confidence and improve girls’ understanding of menstrual health.
The outreach featured an interactive leadership game and a menstrual hygiene education session. Through the leadership activity, participants explored the qualities of an effective leader using the word “LEADER,” with each letter representing a leadership attribute and its meaning.
A cross-section of the participating girls. Photo source: PCI
The exercise introduced the girls to values including listening, empathy, accountability, determination, encouragement and respect. It also encouraged them to recognise that leadership is not limited to holding positions of authority but is reflected in everyday actions, decisions and interactions with others.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of the persistent underrepresentation of women in senior leadership and decision-making positions across sectors in Nigeria. While conversations about women’s representation often focus on increasing opportunities for adult women, preparing girls to lead requires investment much earlier.
Speaking on the motivation behind the outreach, the founder of Pink Compass Initiative, Osaruonamen Ibizugbe, said the programme was established in response to the leadership gap visible at executive and managerial levels across different sectors.
“The Pink Compass is doing this because there is a leadership gap that we see, especially when you get to the executive and managerial levels. In every sector in Nigeria, including politics, media, banking and hospitality, we see that they are male-dominated,” the founder said.
She stressed the importance of nurturing leadership skills before girls reach adulthood.
“We believe we don’t have to wait for girls to become women before they can begin to nurture their leadership skills. This foundation is vital. Before they get to university, they can start from here. So, this is to close the gender leadership gap seen at the top level, starting from the foundation,” she added.
The menstrual hygiene session, facilitated by Guidance Counsellor Ms Edna Oribhabor, provided the girls with an opportunity to learn about menstrual health, appropriate hygiene practices and caring for themselves.
Guidance Counsellor Ms Edna Oribhabor. Photo source: PCI.
Such education is important in challenging the stigma and misinformation surrounding menstruation, which can affect girls’ confidence, wellbeing and participation in school and other activities.
The school principal, Ms Abiemwense Owie, welcomed the intervention, expressing gratitude to the initiative for creating an opportunity for the students to learn.
“We are very happy for this opportunity for my students to learn a lot. We are very grateful to Pink Compass for the opportunity for our girls to learn about leadership, menstrual hygiene and how to build their confidence as a girl child,” the principal said.
The participating girls also shared how the sessions had improved their understanding of leadership and menstrual hygiene.
Treasure said she learnt about the qualities of a good leader and menstrual hygiene practices, adding that the experience had significantly boosted her confidence.
For Annabel, the menstrual hygiene session was particularly useful as it provided her with additional tips on maintaining personal hygiene during her period.
Aminat said she learnt how to use menstrual products correctly, including how to put on and dispose of them, while Elizabeth highlighted proper disposal of used sanitary pads as one of her key takeaways.
Their reflections underscore the importance of introducing girls to leadership development and menstrual health education early in life. Beyond building confidence, these interventions equip girls with practical knowledge, encourage informed choices and help them understand their capacity to lead and participate in decisions that affect their lives.
By combining leadership development with menstrual health education, the outreach reinforced the need to support girls not only to aspire to leadership but also to grow with the confidence, knowledge and agency to pursue it.
Through its work, Pink Compass Initiative seeks to empower girls to build confidence, develop their voices and strengthen their leadership potential.
