29/05/2026
LILIAN DIBO FOUNDATION (LDF) & MORE ACTION FOR DISABILITY INCLUSION (MADI)
POST EVENT ANALYSIS / THROWBACK RELEASE
INTRODUCTION
On the 27th and 28th of May 2026, the city of Kumba witnessed a monumental shift in the advocacy for menstrual equity and disability rights. Under the sponsorship of the US-based organization More Action for Disability Inclusion- MADI, Inc. and executed by its local implementing partner, the Lilian Dibo Foundation (LDF), a two-day campaign for World Menstrual Hygiene Day successfully reached a total of 431 vulnerable beneficiaries.
By targeting 381 adolescent girls in Mambanda on Day One, and 50 young girls with special needs at the Ephphatha Institutefor the Deaf and Dumb and the LDF Centre on Day Two. This joint initiative dismantled systemic stigmas and provided practical, life-changing education to those living with physical and mental challenges.
Day One: Breaking the Silence in Mambanda (381 Beneficiaries).
The campaign commenced on Wednesday, 27th May, in the Mambanda community, Kumba 3 Subdivision. The visual landscape of the outreach was defined by custom-designed banners and T-shirts that clearly articulated the scope of the LDF-MADI partnership.
The event drew a massive crowd of adolescent girls, aged from 10 to their early 20s, many of whom live with physical and cognitive impairments. Recognizing the cultural barriers surrounding menstruation, the LDF team made a strategic decision to deliver the educational curriculum in Pidgin English. This linguistic choice was highly effective; it immediately dissolved the girls' shyness, transformed a taboo subject into an engaging conversation, and ensured that the complex biological realities of "becoming a woman" were fully understood by all.
Key Educational Modules Delivered:
* Overcoming Stigma: Empowering young girls to embrace their first menstruation with pride rather than shame.
* Public Emergency Protocols: Practical guidance on how to seek assistance safely when caught unprepared by their cycle in public spaces.
* Independent Self-Management: Equipping girls with the skills to manage their hygiene independently in the absence of a caregiver.
* Practical Demonstrations: Step-by-step live demonstrations on the correct application, wear-time, and hygienic disposal of sanitary pads.
Day Two: Specialized Advocacy at Ephphatha Institute (50 Beneficiaries).
On Thursday, 28th May, the campaign shifted its focus to the Ephphatha Institute for the Deaf in Kumba 1 Subdivision, addressing young girls with hearing impairments, a demographic frequently sidelined in mainstream sexual and reproductive health campaigns.
Representing MADI’s inclusive vision, the LDF team, accompanied by professional sign-language interpreters, delivered a tailored version of the menstrual hygiene curriculum. The session was highly interactive. The deaf and hard-of-hearing adolescent girls actively participated in a lively Question-and-Answer session, reacting with smiles and visible relief to the practical guidance provided by the LDF Secretary General and Jesse (the Adolescent Lead Girl). This session proved that with the right communication channels, the barriers of sensory disability can be entirely overcome.
The Grand Finale: Bonakama, Kumba Head Office
The two-day campaign culminated in a heartwarming closing ceremony at the LDF Head Office in Bonakama. Speaking on behalf of the collaborative partnership, Ms. Lilian Dibo Eyong (CEO of LDF), expressed her profound gratitude to the volunteers and staff of both LDF and MADI for their exemplary dedication and seamless ex*****on of the project.
Addressing the special-needs beneficiaries in attendance, Ms. Eyong delivered a powerful message of reassurance: “You are deeply loved and valued by both MADI and LDF . You are the very reason we exist, and we will never allow you to walk this journey alone.”
To ensure the impact of the campaign extended beyond education, the beneficiaries did not leave the centre with sanitary pads alone. Through the generous funding of MADI, the girls were presented with essential household gifts, including hygiene buckets and vital foodstuff to support their families.
Strategic Reflections & Acknowledgements
This campaign’s success lies in its highly inclusive, multi-sectoral approach. The initiative was:
1. Powered by the Media : Local journalists and media organs played a vital role in amplifying the campaign's message, ensuring that the discourse on menstrual hygiene and disability rights reached the wider public.
2. Supported by Community Leadership: Quarter heads, school administrators, and traditional authorities in Mabanda Kumba 3 and Kumba 1 provided the necessary administrative clearance and physical spaces for the events.
3. Parental Collaboration : Parents and guardians actively mobilized their children, demonstrating a growing community trust in the LDF-MADI mandate.
By combining international resources with local, empathetic expertise, LDF and MADI have set a new benchmark for disability-inclusive humanitarian work in the South West Region of Cameroon.
More Action for Disability Inclusion (MADI) & Lilian Dibo Foundation: Breaking the Shackles of Disability.
Issued by:
The Communication Division
LDF Kumba, Cameroon
liliandibofoundation.org
