Nigerian menstrual health advocate, Anikeade Funke, has bagged international recognition for exemplary compassion, advocacy, and communication in service to others in the United States.
Ms. Funke, a journalist, multimedia expert, and gender advocate, won the Voice of Dignity Award 2025 in recognition of her giant strides in the advancement of menstrual health awareness and promoting women’s dignity in Nigeria and across Africa.
According to the organiser of the awards, Heroes of Tomorrow Africa Foundation, Ms. Funke will be honoured at the Heroes of Tomorrow’s Africa Award Ceremony on 20 September.
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“This honour is being bestowed upon you in recognition of your outstanding humanitarian impact and groundbreaking media advocacy, particularly your tireless efforts to combat period poverty and uplift the dignity of young girls and women in Nigeria through access to sanitary products and education,” a letter sent to the awardee by Amanda Wax, Director of Operations of the foundation partly read.
About the award
The Voice of Dignity Award celebrates leaders and visionaries who embody courage, compassion, and service across Africa. The honourees of the award include African Heads of State such as Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, and Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal, as well as Barbados President Dame Sandra Mason, and Nigerian Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Others are Mayor Ras Barak of Newark, Dr. Adeyinni Ogunkoya, Dr Similar Adighije, and Dr. Toying Opesanmi.
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Speaking on her recognition and the award, Ms. Funke expressed her gratitude to individuals and organisations working with her to achieve impacts with her Sanitary Pad Media Campaign project.
“I share the honour with them all. I also use this opportunity to thank the Nigerian media across forms and formats for their relentless coverage, support and media mentions,” she said.
About Ms Funke
As the Executive Director of Illuminate Nigeria Development Network and convener of Sanitary Lad Media Campaign, Ms Funke’s video podcast themed “My Period Stories with Funke Treasure” continues to amplify personal narratives of menstruation, challenging stigma and alarming conversations across cultures.
She championed the Media Mentoring Initiative Documentary Fellowship for Students (MMi-DFS) at Lagos State University, nurturing the next generation of storytellers committed to advocacy-driven media.