By Sola Charles
In a world where silence often shrouds women’s struggles, one Nigerian woman has dared to raise her voice. She is not a head of state, a medical doctor, or a politician, but a woman whose weapon is a microphone, whose battlefield is the media, and whose shield is the unyielding belief that women deserve better.
Multimedia trailblazer, author, and menstrual health advocate Anikeade Funke Treasure Akintoye , has waged a relentless war against period poverty from newsrooms to rural classrooms. It’s a war fought with words and willpower, and now, the world is listening.
Funke’s daring is making her to stand among giants. She has been announced as one of the recipients of the prestigious Voice of Dignity Award 2025, to be presented by the Heroes of Tomorrow Africa Foundation in the United States on 20th of September, 2025. Even then, Funke says it is not a personal prize, but one for every girl who has bled in shame, missed school, or been silenced by stigma.
From broadcaster to changemaker
The journey from broadcaster to changemaker did not come overnight. Long before international acclaim, Funke was a voice on Nigerian airwaves - a respected multimedia journalist and mentor, in 2010, she founded the Media Mentoring Initiative (MMI), expanding the vision with the MMi Documentary Fellowship for Students (MMi-DFS), training young storytellers to shine light on Africa’s hidden truths.
For her, dignity is not an abstract concept. It is the difference between a girl who stays in school and one who drops out, between silence and confidence, between shame and pride. “Impact does not always come through headlines but through heartlines — the quiet yet powerful echoes of our work in people’s lives,” she said in a response to the award.
Her Sanitary Pad Media Campaign (SPMC) has done more than distribute pads. It has sparked conversations in homes, classrooms, and parliaments. It has forced Africa to confront a truth it often avoids: that menstruation is not a curse but a sign of life, and it deserves dignity.
Her groundbreaking video podcast, My Period Stories with Funke Treasure, airing on Africa Magic Family, has become a safe space where women lay bare the private struggles that society has long dismissed.
Beyond borders and silence
A statement signed by the Foundation’s Director of Operations, Ms. Amanda Wax, recognized Funke’s “outstanding humanitarian impact and groundbreaking media advocacy, particularly her tireless efforts to combat period poverty and uplift the dignity of young girls and women in Nigeria through access to sanitary products and education.”
“Your commitment to using your voice and platform for change has not only reshaped narratives but has also restored hope and health to thousands of undeserved communities. The voice of Dignity Award is given to a visionary who exemplifies compassion, courage and communication in the service of others.
"Through your bold leadership in media and your unwavering commitment to empowering women, you have become a beacon of transformative change in Africa and beyond,” the statement noted.
A visionary who chose courage over comfort, service over silence, and purpose over power , Funke has turned period poverty into a national conversation. She has turned whispers of shame into voices of defiance, and has turned years of tireless advocacy into a global beacon of hope.
Standing among giants.
The sheer weight of her recognition becomes apparent with the roll call of honourees for the award which brings together a distinguished line-up of global leaders and change makers. Among them are President Julius President Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal.
Also on the roll call is President of Barbados, Dame Sandra Mason, who is celebrated for her role in steering her nation into a new republican era, alongside Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Nigeria, whose advocacy and political courage have earned her widespread respect.
The list includes transformative voices in civic and community leadership, such as Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark, United States, Dr. Adeyinni Ogunkoya, Dr. Simbiat Adighije, and Dr. Toyin Opesanmi (Dr. O), all medical and academic in their respective fields of medicine, research, and public service.
Impact through heartlines, not headlines
In a reaction, Funke said: “I am humbled to be recognised alongside such distinguished leaders and changemakers in Africa. This award is a reminder that impact does not always come through headlines but also through heartlines — the quiet yet powerful echoes of our work in people’s lives. I am grateful to individuals and organisations who worked with us in the last six years to achieve the impact and depth that shines through our work with the Sanitary Pad Media Campaign project.”
She also expressed gratitude to the Nigerian media for their “relentless coverage, support, and amplification of menstrual health advocacy.”
Prof. Sidi Osho, Board Chair of Illuminate Nigeria Development Network (parent body of the Sanitary Pad Media Campaign), described the recognition as “great progress and the result of hard and dedicated work.”
Her consistent focus on menstrual health, cultural storytelling, and social impact continues to cement her place as a leading voice for dignity, inclusion, and change in Africa and beyond.
