For many women living in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, survival has become a daily struggle.

Displacement caused by repeated attacks has stripped many families of their homes, livelihoods and sense of security, but amid the uncertainty the people face, an act of compassion carried out on Friday restored a measure of dignity to hundreds of women and girls.

The gesture which came in the form of free sanitary pads and menstrual hygiene training delivered to the women, and girls in the camp, was an intervention that may appear modest but holds profound meaning for those who received it.

Keziah Hassan, a displaced mother of twins from Pangkap community in Mushere, Bokkos, knows firsthand the hardship many women endure, especially during their menstrual cycle.

“It has not been easy for me. I don’t have the money to buy sanitary pads, so I have been using pieces of cloth and wrappers during my menstrual period,” she said.

Her experience reflects a widespread reality among displaced women, where access to basic hygiene materials is often overlooked in rushed humanitarian responses.
For many displaced women, the monthly cycle becomes another source of anxiety, embarrassment and health risk.

But relief arrived when a journalist, Palang Kasmi, decided to celebrate her 51st birthday in a unique way, bringing sanitary pads support to displaced women in Bokkos instead of hosting a traditional celebration.

Kasmi, who has spent more than two decades reporting on humanitarian issues, said years of covering the plight of displaced communities inspired her decision.

She explained, “As a journalist covering IDP camps for many years, I felt there was a need to go beyond reporting what these people are going through. Instead of cakes and wine to mark my birthday, I decided to mobilise support and bring sanitary pads to help women here manage their menstrual hygiene.”

The intervention, organised to coincide with the celebration of International Women’s Day under the theme “Give to Gain,” provided sanitary pads to hundreds of women and girls in the camp and included training sessions on menstrual hygiene and the production of reusable pads.

The programme also featured health education and resilience-building discussions aimed at helping displaced women cope with the emotional and social impact of their displacement.
Saraya Danjuma, another displaced woman from Girong community, described the experience as both empowering and hopeful.

With excitement, she stated, “I am very happy because I have learnt how to sew a sanitary pad. I have always wished to have something like this that I can use whenever I menstruate.”

For Saraya, learning to make reusable pads means she no longer has to depend solely on 'rags'.

Apart from the immediate distribution of supplies, Kasmi emphasised empowerment and sustainability as 100 displaced women and girls were trained in making reusable sanitary pads, by the Plateau State Chapter of the Trefoil Guild in support of Kasmi.

The Trefoil Guild Country Chair, Grace Ojobo stated her organisation supported the initiative to ensure that even when external support diminishes, the women and girls can still maintain their hygiene with dignity.

She urged those who learnt the skills to transfer same to others so that more women and girls will have access to a cleaner and safer pad during their menstrual cycle.
Jemimah Afe of the Women and Girl-Child Rescue Development Initiative, who facilitated the session on menstrual hygiene, stressed the importance of proper knowledge and care.

According to her, menstrual health education is essential in preventing infections and improving the well-being of women and girls, particularly in crowded environments such as displacement camps.

For other humanitarian advocates present, the intervention highlighted a deeper issue often overlooked in emergency responses.

Bishop Ayuba Matawal, the Chairman of the Bokkos IDPs Welfare Committee, who has been involved in supporting displaced communities in Bokkos, noted that many IDPs continue to struggle with minimal assistance.

“The IDP situation in Bokkos is critical, recall there were attacks that happened since the Christmas Eve in 2023. After that, there were more attacks in places like Hurti in April 2025 and Mushere in May 2025,” he highlighted.

Matawal explained that while some displaced people have returned to their villages, residents of many communities remain unable to go back and are still living in temporary shelters in the Bokkos town.
“To be candid, the people are struggling on their own. Apart from occasional interventions, most of them survive through their own efforts,” he pointed out, and added that hygiene practices present a significant challenge for many displaced persons who are adjusting to new living conditions.

His words, “Most of them were not used to using toilets before coming here, so they are learning new practices. The hygiene lessons and support given today are very important for them, especially for the women.”

Apart from hygiene, the psychological impact of displacement also remains a concern.

Zakka Bako, Founder and Executive Director of the Unique Centre for Trauma Healing and Peacebuilding, urged the women to remain resilient despite the hardship they have endured.

He said, “A lot of these women have lost husbands, children and their property. Some feel as though their world has collapsed. But resilience means rising again and starting over.”

He encouraged them to gradually return to their livelihoods, whether farming or small-scale trading, as a way of rebuilding their lives.

However, the General Manager of the Plateau Publishing Corporation, PPC, Chris Gyang, through the PPC Chapel Chairman, Hosea Nyamlong commended Kasmi's effort in identifying with the displaced women and girls and called on people of goodwill to offer impactful support to lessen their burden.
Ayuku Pwaspo, Chairperson of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Plateau State Council, described the gesture as a meaningful example of compassion in action.

She stressed, “This initiative shows that journalists are also interested in finding solutions to societal problems,”  urging others to highlight the needs of displaced women and children, and see how they can help.

For Kasmi, however, the outreach is only the beginning. With many IDP camps scattered across Plateau State, she hopes to extend similar interventions to other communities facing the same challenges.

Her gesture reveals that humanitarian action does not always require grand parties, but that sometimes, restoring dignity begins with meeting the most basic needs.

For Keziah Hassan, Saraya Danjuma, and hundreds of other displaced women and girls, the support they received is more than a birthday gift from a stranger. It is a reminder that even in displacement, their struggles are seen, and their dignity matters.