Celebrating young voices, health education and the power of advocacy
At DivyHealth, we believe that improving women’s health begins with education — and that young people should not simply be recipients of health information, but should also have opportunities to think, question, speak and contribute to the conversations that affect them.
It was with this vision that we launched our Menstrual Health Essay Competition for secondary school students in Nigeria, inviting students to write on the theme:
“My Role in Promoting Menstrual Health Awareness in My Community”
The competition formed part of our wider menstrual health education initiative, created to encourage young people to learn more about menstrual health, challenge misinformation and consider the role they can play in creating healthier and more supportive communities.
We received thoughtful entries from young people who approached the subject with creativity, insight and a genuine desire to make a difference.
Today, we are delighted to introduce our winner:
Favour Isaiah
Favour’s essay stood out for the way she moved beyond simply describing the challenges surrounding menstruation and considered what she, as a young person, could actually do about them.
Drawing from her own experience of beginning menstruation without feeling fully prepared, she writes candidly about the fear of staining her school uniform, limited access to sanitary products and the lack of open conversations that many girls experience.
But what makes her story particularly compelling is what comes next.
Rather than allowing those experiences to remain simply personal, Favour describes how they have shaped her interest in supporting other girls. She writes about speaking with her classmates, volunteering through the Girl Child Academy, challenging menstrual myths and her ambition to establish the Favorite Care Foundation, through which she hopes to provide menstrual health education, support and practical resources for girls in her community.
Her essay also raises an important point that is sometimes missing from menstrual health conversations: boys and men have a role to play too. By educating everyone, we can help reduce teasing, stigma and misinformation while building greater understanding and empathy.
Favour’s words reflect something at the heart of this competition: young people do not have to wait until adulthood to contribute to change.
Knowledge shared with a friend matters. A myth corrected in a classroom matters. A girl being reassured that she does not need to feel ashamed of her period matters.
Why This Competition Matters
The essay competition was never intended to be only about finding the best piece of writing.
It was designed to encourage students to think about menstrual health differently.
For many young people, menstruation is still surrounded by incomplete information, embarrassment, cultural misconceptions and questions they may not feel comfortable asking. Creating opportunities for students to research, write and talk about menstrual health gives them another way to engage with their own health and the health of those around them.
Favour’s essay is a wonderful example of what can happen when a young person moves from learning to action.
We congratulate Favour Isaiah on this achievement and celebrate the thought, honesty and ambition behind her entry.
We also extend our appreciation to every student who participated, as well as the parents, teachers, schools, partners and supporters who helped make the competition possible.
Our work does not end with the competition. Through our school menstrual health outreaches, educational resources and Is My Bleeding Normal?, we will continue helping young people access practical, understandable information about their bodies and encouraging conversations that support better health.
And perhaps one of the most encouraging outcomes of this competition is knowing that a new generation of advocates is already beginning to find its voice.
