Karo Omu - On Tackling Period Poverty in Nigeria, Female Friendships and Making A Difference
Interviewed by Munirah Yaqoub
Period poverty is a serious global problem. It is even worse in Nigeria which has an ever-rising inflation rate. Imagine this, in 2014, sanitary pads were being sold at ₦150, the price increased to ₦350 in 2018 and are currently selling at prices as high as ₦700 per pack; all these while the minimum wage remains a measly ₦30,000. In this conversation, we speak to the inspiration behind the hashtag #TweetLikeKaro, Karo Omu, a project and marketing executive, as she tells us how she balances her career and relationships while helping in tackling period poverty.
Karo is dedicated to protecting and promoting children’s and women’s rights. In 2017, she founded the Sanitary Aid Initiative, a non-governmental organisation aimed at tackling period poverty and promoting sanitary hygiene in Nigeria through the introduction of sustainable reusable pads, enlightenment and outreaches. She is also a founding member of the remarkable Feminist Coalition.
Munirah: Please, tell us a bit about yourself.
Karo: I am Karo Omu, a 30-year-old projects and marketing executive. I am the founder of Sanitary Aid Initiative, the owner of a children’s books and toys store called Play by Kay, a founding member of the Feminist Coalition and most recently, project owner of an initiative called Little Libraries Everywhere. I am passionate about developing solutions to everyday challenges, particularly those faced by women and children.
M: Could we go a bit more into your passion for women and children, please? What sparked that?
K: I’ve always had a thought for more vulnerable people. When I look around me, who are the people that I connect with more? I’m a woman, so I connect with women and their plight. The vulnerability of children is what pushes me to care about them and want the best for them.
So yeah, I love supporting women, learning from women and understanding more about what they go through and also collaborating with women.
A lot of non-profits around me are founded by women, so I work more with women. You look at society and gender inequality which makes you think about girls and you want to help and support them. I feel it’s important to let people know that life can be in another way so they can be inspired. You’re not going to dream about something you don’t know about; so, a lot of my work is showing people that there is something else out there. Those dreams kind of give you hope because, if you have something that you’re looking forward to, you strive and continue to be here. So, that’s how I found myself in this line of work.
M: Very interesting. What has your experience with womanhood been like in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom? Is there a stark difference between the two?
K: I find that being a woman anywhere in the world is quite interesting. When I was growing up, I would often be asked what I was going to do in my husband’s house if I did not learn to cook, very strange.
M: Hmm, the imaginary husband tales.
K: I also remember being a young adult irritated by catcalls or being grabbed in the market. Obviously, none of these things covers my full experience as a Nigerian woman but, they affected me in the sense that, in the back of my mind, I felt that I was not being perceived as equal to the man.
As a woman in the UK, I think of myself as black first, which comes with its own complexities. One of my favourite things as a woman though is female friendships, they have saved me.
M: If there’s one thing we know about you, it’s that you are big on friendships and family. How have they helped you?
K: I’m very big on relationships — communicating with my people, being there for my people and they being there for me in return. It’s very important for me to have a tribe; it’s not easy to do life alone. There are so many struggles, joy and happiness that you need people to be there to share with you. One of the things I’ve been very particular about is finding my happiness and finding people to share it with, being a part of other people’s stories, having dependable people around me and being able to depend on them in return.
That’s why my friendships are so important to me. Like I always say, they save my life every day in the little things — remembering conversations, people showing up in your happy and sad moments, even people that do not always show up, but when you think of a happy place in your life even if it is 10 or 20 years ago, they are a part of it. I feel like that sounds poetic but, that’s truly how I feel.
M: Awww, that’s so sweet. Before I dwell on this because I am a huge fan of friendships as well, please tell us more about the organisation(s) you run or are a part of.
K: Sanitary Aid Initiative works to deal with the issues around period poverty in Nigeria. We support girls and women from low-income families with sanitary hygiene materials and educate them on healthy menstrual hygiene practices. We started our work in 2017, and continue to date, reaching and supporting over 20,000 women and girls.
M: Amazing. Could we also know a bit more about Little Libraries Everywhere?
K: Little Libraries Everywhere is a project that I started because I wanted to get books into the hands of kids from low-income homes, care homes and correctional centres. This is something I wanted to do even before I started Play by Kay which is an online store that sells kid’s books and toys. I had wanted to have a book truck that would go around areas but, afterwards, I settled for this. This project is basically me planting little libraries in these homes. Some of them don’t have books so, we would get bookshelves and fill them with books, 100, 200, 300, depending on how many books we have.
As a kid, I remember being lost in books and how much they made me dream about the world. A lot of dreams and thoughts I had were from books, so I think it’s important for kids to have access to books early and begin to see the possibilities in life. It also helps them to express themselves, dream and know that there is another life different from what they are currently experiencing.
M: You founded Sanitary Aid NG and it would be quite “usual” to ask what inspired it, so rather, how has your experience or thoughts about period poverty changed since you started?
K: When we started, I am not sure I knew what period poverty was. I thought pads had become too expensive and simply wanted to help. Over the years, I have now learned different parts of the problem from poverty itself to cultural practices, myths and even access to products. So, we can say A LOT has changed.
M: Are there any memorable moments in your journey that have stayed with you? Like a moment forever etched in your memory?
K: In the early days of our outreaches, I remember us approaching this IDP camp to donate pads, and the camp leader rejected the proposal. I was upset but decided to take the time to ask him the reason. It turned out the camp had a waste management issue and he worried that giving the women pads would compound his issue. Although his approach was quite hostile, it made me understand that communities are different and interventions need to be tailored for them. It’s made me learn the importance of collaboration and listening. We were able to help them with the waste management and were able to educate the women and subsequently give them pads.
M: Amazing. You’re doing a fantastic job and I’m sure your fans are proud of you. How can the public help with Sanitary Aid?
K: They can volunteer their time to the organisation, give out pads in their community or make a donation here.
M: Thank you so much for your time.
K: Thank you!
Follow Sanitary Aid’s work on Twitter. Connect with Karo on Instagram and Twitter.