Five hearing-impaired girls from Government Secondary School, Kuje, in Abuja, have qualified as global finalists at the 2026 Technovation Girls World Summit in Bengaluru, India.
Their team, known as the STRIM Girls, developed an AI-powered application called Saving Pad aimed at improving access to menstrual products, particularly for students with disabilities.
The achievement is listed on the official Technovation Girls website among the 2026 Senior Division finalists. 
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The Girls and Their Innovation
The five students are:
- Adegbile Teniola Vivian
- Sulaiman Maryam Adenike Isah
- Moses Joy
- Ukpapi Theresa Uzepi
- Yusuf Ruth
They were mentored by the Technology Beyond Disability Initiative (TechBDI). After competing against thousands of teams from more than 160 countries, they advanced to the final round of the prestigious global challenge.
Why the Girls Built the Saving Pad Menstrual Health App
They created Saving Pad to solve a practical problem many girls face. The girls built the menstrual health app to help especially those who are deaf or have other disabilities to:
- Locate nearby sanitary pad banks using an interactive map
- Request menstrual products for regular or emergency needs
- Track periods
- Access menstrual health education
It also allows coordinators to monitor stock levels and receive alerts when supplies run out.
The girls, using sign language, summarily say, “When a girl’s period starts, the question should never be: ‘What am I going to do?’ It should be: ‘I know where to go!”
In partnership with the Deaf Women Aloud Initiative, the team has already launched a pilot programme in three special schools in Abuja. Plans are underway to expand the initiative to primary healthcare centres and vulnerable communities across Nigeria.
Their selection places them among just 15 Senior Division finalist teams worldwide heading to the in-person World Summit in Bengaluru in October 2026.
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