Leading the charge for female empowerment and the eradication of period poverty - Ruth's Changemaker Journey

Changemaker Journey   

Currently enrolled at the University of Calabar — undertaking an Economics and Education Bachelor's degree — Ruth prides herself on effecting lasting change as a girl child advocate. Having personally contended with the challenges of period poverty growing up, raising greater awareness of the global issue is a cause near and dear to Ruth's heart. 

As a teenager, she witnessed — first-hand — the hardships of her friends and classmates who were left with little recourse but to improvise and use their berets to sustain their periods; having no access to all-important menstrual products, such as sanitary pads.   

Research shows that this — inaccessibility to basic sanitary provisions and menstrual hygiene education — remains a persistent problem; an eye-opening study conducted by UNESCO highlights that one in 10 girls in Sub-Saharan Africa missed school while on their period.   

For Ruth, and countless women and girls like her, the harsh reality of these facts was only compounded by the limited learning and career opportunities available to aspiring female STEM professionals; with gender stereotypes, unconscious bias, socialization, and the lack of representation contributing to the STEM gender gap.  

Determined to shine a light on these issues and disabuse people of the myths and misconceptions that perpetuate them, Ruth created the Young Africa Foundation. 

Young Africa Foundation 

A youth-led organization launched to empower girls across Nigeria and the wider continent, Young Africa Foundation delivers bespoke training programs designed to improve menstrual hygiene education, access to sanitary products, and the safe spaces required to use them.  

The organization currently employs six dedicated change agents — including Ruth — and has collaborated with an array of community-minded partners, such as Future Africa Leaders Foundation, Teens Can Code, and Humanitarian Volunteer Network, to create impactful youth-focused initiatives.  

Through her foundation, Ruth has played a leading role in teaching young girls around Nigeria how to make their reusable pads — in the comfort of their own homes — improving their confidence and wellbeing, while safeguarding the environment in the process.  

Ruth has gone to great lengths to reiterate that these reusable sanitary pads can be locally sourced. She has encouraged the girls she has mentored to share the new skills and knowledge they have gained from the Young Africa Foundation with others in their communities and social circles.  

Ruth has also emphasized improving the employability of the young women she serves, hosting detailed career sessions that outline potential opportunities for her participants to explore. 

To date, the Young Africa Foundation has worked with over 23 schools, supported five communities and partnered with three churches. Since its inception, the organization has positively impacted more than 2,000 girls.  

An Everyone a Changemaker World   

Ruth is well aware that changemaking comes with its fair share of ups and downs. As challenging as it might be to make a difference in the world, she asserts, it is important to persist and rise above.  

“When I first embarked on my changemaking journey,” she explains, “I was uncertain of where it would take me and how it would turn out. Nevertheless, I remained persistent and — over time — started making serious headway, noticing the difference I was making in people's lives. I encourage all young changemakers to do the same: to keep at it.”