And why our work at FSG is more than just giving out pads.
At For Savvy Girls (FSG), we thought we were stepping into schools to teach. But what happened was more powerful: we listened. At FSG, we’ve sat in classrooms, school assemblies, in school halls, and in quiet corners—listening.
Over the past year, we’ve spoken to more than 1000 girls across different communities. We thought we were going there to teach. But the girls? They’ve been teaching us too.
Here are 5 powerful lessons we’ve learned from simply listening to what girls are saying and not saying about their periods.
1. Most girls don’t know what a period really is.
We’ve heard questions like “Is this a curse?”. For many of these girls, menstruation starts with fear and confusion. Basic reproductive education simply isn’t reaching them. The lack of basic reproductive education means they’re often learning from rumors, shame-filled warnings, or not at all.
At FSG, we’ve realized our first job is to fill that knowledge gap with compassion, clarity,truth and care.
2. Shame is doing more damage than blood ever could.
Period shame is real. It shows up in silence, in isolation, and in fear.
Girls have told us about hiding stained skirts, being excluded from family routines, and feeling “dirty” just for bleeding.
Shame causes more harm than the cycle itself.
At FSG, we’re working to dismantle that shame—one conversation at a time.
3. Some girls miss 3–5 days of school every month.
Why? Not because they’re lazy or uninterested but because they don’t feel safe.
They’re afraid of stains, smells, being laughed at or simply not having a pad. And that fear keeps them out of class.
Access to menstrual products = access to education.
It’s why we created the Savvy Period Pad Box so no girl has to choose between learning and her body.
4. Girls want to talk but don’t know who to talk to.
At first, the questions come in whispers:
“Can I ask you something?”
“Please don’t laugh…”
But once they feel safe, the floodgates open.
Girls want to understand their bodies. They want to feel heard. They just need a safe, judgment-free space.
And when that space is created? They bloom.
5. Change is possible! One conversation at a time.
We’ve seen the difference.
A girl standing taller.
Sharing what she learned with a younger cousin.
Walking into school on her period with confidence.
Every question, every story, every workshop = real change.
Because this work isn’t just about pads. It’s about power.
We’re Listening. We’re Learning. We’re Growing.
To every girl who has trusted us with her story, we say thank you.
To our team and every supporter who makes this work possible, we say thank you.
Let’s keep showing up. Let’s keep the conversations going.
Follow our work in Nigeria on Instagram: @fsg.empowerment