FOUNDATION SENSITIZES STUDENTS ON EFFECTS OF SKIN BLEACHING 16-02-24
By Sadiq Aminu The public have been advised to desist from skin bleaching to avoid cancer and other health hazards.
A dermatologist and founder of Bashir Ya’u empowerent initiative foundation, Hajiya Zainab Bashir Ya’u made the call during an enlightenment campaign on effects of skin bleaching held at Government girls Arabic secondary school (GGASS),Kawaji.
According to her, the event was organized to educate the students on the health risk of skin bleaching and how it affects other organs in the body.
She decried over the increase in the prevalence rate of the menace especially among under age girls, saying that,80% of the students sensitized have bleached their skin, while 95% of them are under 17 years old.
“We feel the need to catch them young and sensitize them on the hazards and ensure that they don’t expose themselves at a young age or an older state in life due to lack of information”
Hajiya Zainab pointed out that, the foundation sensitized the schools population of over 2,000 students, and selected 150 to serve as mentors, who will cascade the knowledge to others, where they would be followed up to ensure progress.
The founder highlighted that the pilot project ASALI was launched in Kano, and would be carried out across the 19 northern states, saying that, the team consists of dermatologists, psychologists, and other experts to provide the necessary assistance, where the need arises.
“We have collaborated with the Ministry of Health, education and women affairs and currently working with our partnership with NAFDAC.”
The vice principal, of Government Girls Arabic Secondary School (GGASS), Malam Nuhu Abba described the campaign as apt due to the menace of skin bleaching among students.
The team also visited intercontinental schools where students were educated on the need to maintain their natural skin.
The proprietor of the school, Hajiya Dr. Hadiza Nuhu Yusuf Baba, commended the foundation for the initiative, saying that, the school would provide all the necessary support to achieve the desired objectives.
Some of the students who spoke to Africa 247 corespondent, Khadijah Sheriff and Hauwa Muhamamad Lawal promised to make judicious use of the knowledge gained.
On the community sensitization, the foundation visited Bunkure local government area, to sensitize and empower women on how to extract oil from sesame and castor for a healthier natural look.
The foundation empowered the participants with seeds, and pledged to buy the extracted oil from them, where the money would be paid directly into their banks to make them self-reliant.