I am raising money to help girls in my rural area use sanitary pads instead of tissues and pieces of wrappers. 

It breaks my heart to see that teenage girls in my rural community, Jahi 2, Abuja, Nigeria, have to depend on preying men to get them basic stuff like sanitary pads in unwilling exchange for their bodies. 

This kind of abject poverty has rapidly increased depression, anxiety, unwanted pregnancies and even physical illnesses.

It is estimated that 50% of all mental health disorders start from the age of 14. When a child is burdened with the responsibilities of an adult at a young age, it is very difficult for her to cope mentally.

My intention is to continuously share pads that will be enough for 6 months per teenage girl child, every 6 months.

It is unknown news to most Nigerians that our country is the most depressed country in Africa. According to World Health Organization in 2019, we rank 15th for suicide in the world, and in 2016, 1st for suicide in Africa. 

Major causes are mental health disorders, with the most common being depression and anxiety. Yet, over 80% of Nigerians have never heard the words ‘mental health’. 

My name is Dinma Amadi, and I am the founder of the “DINMA AMADI MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE”.

I studied law in Karnataka State Law University, India.

While in India, I suffered depression and anxiety for years. It took me even more years to discover what was wrong and find the path to healing and coping. The biggest challenge I faced going through mental health disorders is the stigma and ignorance associated with it. I couldn’t speak up because I didn’t want to be an object of caricature. 

A boy who was my classmate in school was sent back to Nigeria because he plunged into depression and subsequently developed schizophrenia. We concluded he had gone mad. We did nothing, except send him for spiritual deliverance which wasn’t enough. He had a mental health disorder. Ignorance, truly, is a disease.  

Quietly, I went into deep research about mental health, took several certified courses, including clinical psychology, and today, I have a full blown passion for mental health advocacy. I understand what this means and know that awareness is the power to unlock us from our own bondage.

Being young and trying to find your feet is hard enough. The mental stress is overwhelming and heaps a daunting impact of a growing child’s mental health. I cannot imagine that some girls in 2022 have never used a pad.

This is a vision I have harbored for so long and I want this reality so badly. 

I beg your indulgence to assist me improve the lives of these young ones. 

Thank you so much.

Our mail address is [email protected]

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