Sustainable menstrual health outcomes require more than information delivery, they demand trust, accountability, and shared ownership embedded within community systems. Population Services International (PSI) Nigeria integrated these principles into the Menstrual Health and Hygiene–No Wahala (MH-NoW) project by activating existing social structures such as schools, traditional institutions, religious platforms, and peer networks to create safe spaces where menstruation could be openly discussed. Through community dialogues, school-based peer education, and engagement with political, traditional, and religious leaders, the project fostered inclusive participation, strengthened social support systems, and dismantled long-standing stigma. Aligning with UNICEF, UNFPA, and WHO guidance on community engagement and adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH). PSI Nigeria cultivated a locally grounded ecosystem of menstrual health influencers-teachers, MH community influencers, health-facility staff, and community product distributors as Menstrual Health Champions who co-created solutions, facilitated open discussions, championed positive norms, and sustained behavior change. Insights and learnings from MH-NoW, illustrate that trust-driven, community-anchored SBCC models enhance accountability, improve health-seeking behavior, and strengthen the enabling environment for adolescent girls' menstrual dignity.
Sustainable menstrual health outcomes require more than information delivery, they demand trust, accountability, and shared ownership embedded within community systems. Population Services International (PSI) Nigeria integrated these principles into the Menstrual Health and Hygiene–No Wahala (MH-NoW) project by activating existing social structures such as schools, traditional institutions, religious platforms, and peer networks to create safe spaces where menstruation could be openly discussed. Through community dialogues, school-based peer education, and engagement with political, traditional, and religious leaders, the project fostered inclusive participation, strengthened social support systems, and dismantled long-standing stigma. Aligning with UNICEF, UNFPA, and WHO guidance on community engagement and adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH). PSI Nigeria cultivated a locally grounded ecosystem of menstrual health influencers-teachers, MH community influencers, health-facility staff, and community product distributors as Menstrual Health Champions who co-created solutions, facilitated open discussions, championed positive norms, and sustained behavior change. Insights and learnings from MH-NoW, illustrate that trust-driven, community-anchored SBCC models enhance accountability, improve health-seeking behavior, and strengthen the enabling environment for adolescent girls' menstrual dignity.
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