Ms. Nayado receives the 2025 Global Recognition Award

By UTCHE OKWUOSAH

Ms. Nana Yaa Ampem Darko Otchere (Ms. Nayado) has received the prestigious 2025 Global Recognition Award (GRA) as a recognition of her “exceptional leadership in addressing menstrual health equity, and for her transformative impact on underserved communities across the United Kingdom and Africa.”

Conferring this award on her, the GRA organization cited Ms. Otchere’s visionary work in her FlowForward Initiative, an arm of the NAYADO Foundation and The SIKA DWA Foundation, in which she “demonstrated world-class achievement in leadership, service, research, and mentoring that has fundamentally changed how society approaches menstrual health challenges.”

The citation noted that her comprehensive approach in the implementation of the initiative “combines grassroots impact with strategic vision while addressing the critical needs of thousands of young girls who face period poverty in low-income and rural communities.”

The strategic vision she brings to her philanthropic endeavors, enhanced by her advanced degrees in Business Administration from the United Kingdom and Communication Studies from the University of Ghana, positions her as a transformative leader who bridges academic rigor with practical implementation, GRA further observed in the citation.

The innovative methodologies Ms. Nayado developed for tackling period poverty “demonstrate her ability to combine compassion with strategic thinking, resulting in solutions that address immediate needs and systemic challenges.

Not surprising, the initiative successfully partnered with schools, shelters, and community organizations to ensure consistent access to menstrual products “while establishing mentorship programs that educate young women on health, self-esteem, and essential life skills.”

Excerpts from GRA reads thus: “Her work tackles the critical issue of lack of access to affordable sanitary products, which leads to school absenteeism, health complications, and social stigma, creating comprehensive solutions that address these multifaceted challenges.

A brief on Ms. Nayado’s book propagating the understanding of menstruation and advocating for access and equity

“The FlowForward Initiative has completely reimagined menstrual health support by providing sustainable hygiene solutions while empowering local women to produce reusable sanitary materials, creating economic opportunities alongside health improvements.

“Her innovative approaches to addressing societal needs include the development of comprehensive mentorship programs such as “Dare to Aspire,” which educates young women on menstrual health, self-esteem, and essential life skills while building confidence and leadership capabilities.

“The measurable outcomes of her service efforts demonstrate exceptional impact through documented improvements in school attendance rates, health outcomes, and community awareness levels that have created lasting change in affected communities.

“The sustainability of her service programs stems from her commitment to building local capacity and creating systems that continue functioning independently, ensuring long-term positive change rather than temporary intervention.”

Some of the students who benefited from Ms. Nayado’s initiative listening attentively to one of the seminars and others posed for group photographs after their sessions:

Besides having shown commitment to building local capacity and creating systems that continue functioning independently, ensuring long-term positive change rather than temporary intervention, her work has successfully reduced stigma through evidence-based advocacy, GRA’s panel of experts opined in their report.

When contacted via WhatsApp call by TBT (The Business Traveller) magazine for her reaction, the apparently happy publisher and youth and women empowerment advocate said that, though she was very pleased with the award, she was not really expecting it.

“I truly wasn’t expecting it, but I’m deeply honoured,” she said with a clear ring of joy in her voice. “Being recognized globally for something I’m passionate about – empowering girls, promoting menstrual health and hygiene, and helping increase school enrollment among girls – is incredibly meaningful.

“Period poverty is a major barrier to girl-child education. Many young girls miss out on school, feel ashamed, or are even stigmatized simply because of their period. That’s why I took it upon myself to advocate, to pioneer change, and to ensure that girls are physically and emotionally well, confident, and free from the limitations that period poverty brings.

“To be acknowledged for this work is not just an award for me; it’s a celebration of every girl whose life has been touched by these efforts.

“I urge everyone, in your own small way, support this mission. Make a change in the life of a girl. Make a change in the life of a woman. Period poverty is real, and together, we can help eliminate it.”

According to GRA, this prestigious award is the best business award competition program (in the industry) that recognizes businesses and individuals from all over the world for their exceptional achievements and contributions to their respective industries.

“The Global Recognition Awards is a program that honors individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the field of recognition.”