Some 863 young girls in God Jope Ward, Suna East Constituency of Migori County have received a donation of sanitary towels and undergarments in a bid to curb teenage pregnancy, courtesy of area Member of County Assembly (MCA), Charles Koyoo.
According to Koyoo, the donation is one of the initiatives taken to save the girls from being lured by young men into unplanned sex with the promise of getting them goodies in return.
At the same time, the MCA explained that the exercise was aimed at supporting parents who are unable to provide such basic and important items to their daughters.
“Some fathers abscond their responsibilities of caring for their young girls to their wives who are not capable of doing so. It is with this in mind that I have strived to donate these items to help preserve the dignity of our daughters while in school.” elaborated Koyoo.
The girls, he observed, are always exposed, leaving them stranded and at the mercy of preying men.
He regretted that runaway poverty in the region had led to the steady rise of teenage pregnancies, early marriage and acts of immorality among school girls in his ward and across the county and that pragmatic steps must now be taken urgently to stop the vice.
Mr. Koyoo also blamed the collapse of tobacco and sugarcane industries in the region for the adverse poverty that has hindered most parents from taking care of their families.
“In my ward most parents were tobacco growers and sugarcane farmers. But since the collapse of these activities, most parents are now struggling to provide for their families. They cannot afford to procure sanitary towels and other needs of young girls, “he said.
He added that he will be providing sanitary towels every term to ensure that girls are safe and are in school to pursue their careers uninterrupted.
His move was warmly welcomed by the young girls who acknowledged the challenges they face while undertaking their education.
“We are greatly humbled with what our MCA has done for us. Getting sanitary towels is a challenge because some of our parents don’t have money at the time we need them,” said Verah Aoko, one of the beneficiaries.
Mary Atieno, a parent, lauded the kind gesture by the MCA and cautioned the girls not to be duped by young men with the promise of buying them sanitary towels and undergarments.
The donations comprised of 3 pairs of underwear pants, a pair of biker pants, and three sanitary pads for each of the 863 adolescent girls across the ward.
By Polycarp Ochieng and George Agimba
