A total of 400 pupils from three primary schools in Keiyo North Sub County will benefit from menstrual hygiene education and a one-year supply of free sanitary towels from Cross World Africa (CWA), a non-governmental organization.
The organization’s Executive Director, Eric Garvin, said the move was part of his organization’s initiative to empower young girls who are forced to skip school once they start their menses and cannot afford to get sanitary towels.
Speaking at Mindililwo primary school during a menstrual health sensitization workshop, the director said the organization will supply the sanitary towels to girls in Mindililwo, Kapsio, and Kamariny primary schools.
He said that through the initiative, the girls will be saved from shame, stigma, and losing precious school hours due to a natural biological act.
“Most girls feel embarrassed when they get their menses and cannot access sanitary pads, which leads to low self-esteem in addition to missing school; thus, the supply of the sanitary pads will ensure that they remain in school,” he said.
Mrs. Judy Ruto, a teacher from Mindililwo Primary School, welcomed the initiative, saying most girls come from vulnerable families and that most of the time they have been relying on sanitary towels from the government to keep the girls in school.
“When the supply from the government runs out, we are forced as teachers to dip into our pockets to ensure that the girls get the towels,” she said.
A menstrual health trainer, Kemunto Hongera, said they also impart the girls with menstrual education when they are still young to ensure that they are able to cope with the situation once the menses set in.
By Alice Wanjiru and Jeptum Valentine
