Toluwaloju Victoria Oluwatosin is a broadcast journalist, gender advocate, and a beneficiary of the YouthLab Fellowship under the Menstrual Health cluster.
Growing up in Okhokhugbo, a suburban community in Benin City, Edo State, profoundly shaped her worldview. In her community, young girls often faced the dual challenges of teenage pregnancy and early marriage due to a lack of sexual education and menstrual health awareness. The prevalence of specific tragedies motivated her to rewrite her own story and advocate for change. She began mentoring girls in her church, discussing the importance of education, menstrual hygiene, and the dangers of illegal migration.
In 2022, she sensitized 100 secondary school girls on menstrual health, distributing sanitary pads and mentoring them on self-esteem. By 2023, her outreach expanded to 600 students across three schools. Collaborating with organizations like the Sophia Nadia Foundation and Brain Builders Youth Initiative, she leveraged her story to inspire young girls and educate them about making informed life choices.
In 2025, she launched the Pad Her Right Campaign as a result of the Smile Outreach Youth and Adolescent Lab fellowship. Her project aims to promote menstrual health, confidence, and dignity among school girls. To date, the project has reached and impacted 250 beneficiaries. The interactive sessions of this project focused on understanding the menstrual cycle, menstrual hygiene management, and addressing period stigma. The practical component of the campaign involved teaching the girls how to make reusable sanitary pads using locally available materials, a sustainable and cost-effective solution that promotes both environmental consciousness and self-reliance.
Using the Pocket Guide, A–Z of Menstruation developed by The Smile Outreach, the project was able to educate students comprehensively about what menstruation entails, debunk myths, and encourage open discussions around menstrual health.
Through her work, Toluwaloju is redefining advocacy by using storytelling, education, and community engagement to empower girls and prevent gender-based violence (GBV).
Toluwaloju’s journey into advocacy was shaped by her early experiences. “Growing up, I witnessed firsthand how young girls were violated and silenced, often by people they trusted, including relatives, family friends, and community members”. These experiences influenced her understanding of how vulnerability, silence, and low self-esteem can make girls more susceptible to abuse.
Through her Pad Her Right Campaign, Toluwaloju educates school girls on menstrual health and hygiene while promoting confidence and body positivity. The initiative goes beyond distributing sanitary products. It builds self-esteem and encourages girls to speak up about their needs and experiences. By combining education and empowerment, the campaign works to ensure that no girl feels ashamed or excluded because of her period.
Beyond structured projects, Toluwaloju continues to use her voice and platforms to advocate for women’s health and self-worth. She raises awareness about Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and the emotional and psychological challenges it poses for young women. She also mentors girls on self-esteem, menstrual health, and goal-setting, promoting confidence as a powerful form of prevention and resistance against violence.
Toluwaloju’s story is proof that when young voices are nurtured, they grow into movements. Her journey is only beginning, but her impact is already being felt beyond her community.
