Busia Women Representative Catherine Omanyo has launched padding program worth Sh10 million for school girls, aimed at keeping them in school in effort to mitigate cases of teenage pregnancies and early marriages among school going girls.
The initiative is in-line with the implementation of the law signed by Kenya’s Fourth President Uhuru Kenyatta in June 2017, mandating the national government to provide free sanitary pads to boost girls’ access to education across the country.
The new law stated that the government will be responsible for providing free, sufficient, and quality sanitary towels and a safe and environmentally sound method of disposal for girls in school.
Addressing the press at St Augustine Kamolo secondary school in Teso North Sub County Friday after offering motivational talk and distribution of sanitary pads to 246 girls, Omanyo said the pads which will not be in cash form, will see women reps from all the 47 counties handle distribution of these pads.
Omanyo who also visted Opeduru, Kwangamor and Busibwabo Primary Schools noted that she had the privilege to putting a smile on girls from humble families.
She revealed that Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Aisha Jumwa had confirmed that funds for the program that have already been allocated in the budget, adding that procurement process was ongoing, followed by distribution of the products.
“Before the program is officially launched, I thought outside the box and set aside some funds to purchase sanitary pads for some selected schools, which girls will use for three months before we replenish them,” she said.
Besides the padding program, the legislator has also sponsored fully over 35 girls under second chance full scholarships, adding that they have so far dispatched bursaries to the tune of Sh4.4 million.
While giving her motivation talk to girls, Omanyo challenged them not to fall into trap by bodaboda ridders at the expense of their bright future.
” Girls, don’t be lured by lifts of motorbikes. I am standing here as a living testimony. I nearly got married at the age of 14, I had no home, but the Catholic Church through the now Retired Bishop Sulumeti came to my rescue,” she said.
According to ZenaAfrica, four out of five girls in East Africa, miss school because of their period, thus need for intervention.
For many years, Busia was among top counties in cases of teenage pregnancies and defilement, which was attributed to high poverty index in the area.
Meanwhile, Omanyo emerged the best woman rep in the country, according to a recent survey. She attributed this magnificent performance to her determination of accessing villages, where other leaders don’t go.
” I am a path finder. I don’t do things for the sake of public relations; I reach out to people in all corners of the county whether it’s accessible or not,” she said.
By Absalom Namwalo
