By Amos Harris
Monrovia, Montserrado, Liberia – May 30, 2025 – The Center for Empowerment and Development Initiative (CELDI) Liberia proudly joined the global community on Monday, May 28, in commemorating World Menstrual Hygiene Day. The organization used the occasion to deliver a powerful message of education, empowerment, and dignity for young girls, underscoring its unwavering commitment to breaking down taboos and fostering a healthier future.
The impactful event, held at the Don Bosco School in New Matadi, gathered an enthusiastic assembly of students, dedicated educators, and supportive community members. The atmosphere was charged with purpose under the resonating theme: “Good Menstrual Hygiene for a Healthy and Confident Life,” a testament to the transformative potential of proper menstrual care.
Speaking passionately to a team of journalists, Reverend Maude S. Walker, the visionary Founder and Executive Director of CELDI Liberia, articulated the profound importance of comprehensive menstrual hygiene management. She emphasized its crucial role in promoting the overall health, bolstering the confidence, and safeguarding the inherent dignity of adolescent girls across Liberia.
“This year’s celebration is about more than just giving out sanitary pads,” Rev. Walker asserted, highlighting CELDI’s holistic approach. “It’s fundamentally about teaching our girls how to use them properly, demystifying the menstrual cycle, and empowering them with the knowledge and confidence to manage their periods with absolute dignity and without shame.”
Reverend Walker extended heartfelt gratitude to the invaluable support of key international partners whose contributions have been instrumental in CELDI’s outreach efforts over the past two years. She specifically acknowledged the generous assistance from the Orange Foundation Liberia, the Black Baptist Association of New Jersey, and the Black Women Physicians Association, USA, recognizing their vital role in enabling the organization’s impactful initiatives.
According to Rev. Walker, CELDI Liberia has been a beacon of hope and support for over nine years, currently nurturing and empowering more than 1,600 young people in Montserrado and Margibi counties, with a particularly strong and impactful presence on Peace Island. Looking ahead, she disclosed that with additional support from benevolent development partners, CELDI harbors ambitious plans to significantly expand its critical menstrual hygiene initiative to other vulnerable counties across Liberia, reaching even more girls in need.
“We haven’t received any funding from the government for this particular initiative,” she noted, underscoring the grassroots, community-driven nature of their work. “This endeavor is purely about giving back to our youth and ensuring that no girl is left behind or disadvantaged due to a lack of access to essential menstrual hygiene resources and education.”
Rev. Walker further expressed profound gratitude to the young participants who enthusiastically turned out to learn about proper menstrual hygiene practices. She stressed that such open education is absolutely critical in dismantling societal stigma, challenging harmful myths, and ultimately promoting a healthier, more understanding, and equitable society for girls and women everywhere.
World Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed annually on May 28, serves as a pivotal global platform to raise awareness, challenge deep-seated taboos, and advocate for greater access to menstrual health resources. The day aims to highlight the indispensable importance of good menstrual hygiene management for the overall well-being, health, and empowerment of women and girls around the world, reinforcing the message that menstruation is a natural biological process that should be managed with respect, dignity, and access to necessary resources.
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