As celebrations for International Women’s Day approaches, lobbies have called for more sanitary pad donations in Kilifi County to help school girls in drought-stricken areas to maintain their menstrual health and reduce early pregnancies.
Organizations that visited various schools to distribute sanitary pads in Kilifi County last week told the media that the aid given is still not enough to meet the demand for the pads among school girls whose studies are often affected due to lack of the products.
Gandani primary school located in Rabai constituency is one of the schools where many girls are most affected by the effects of drought. In this school, there are reported cases where some girls have to use pieces of mattresses and rags to cover themselves during their menstrual periods.
During the visit to the school, the founder of LM foundation Lucia Musau in collaboration with other stakeholders said that despite the efforts she made to help the girls, there is still a need for donations of the pads to meet the increasing demand.
“I believe every girl today in Kenya should not have to stay out of school because of menstrual periods. Especially now that we are in women’s international day month, I think more than ever, it’s very important for us as women and women leaders to be at the forefront on issues that are affecting the girls”, said Lucia Musau.
More than 100 girls received sanitary pads to support them for the next ten months while the sponsors promised to continue helping the girls in that school since they are highly in need.
“I honestly think this school still needs help. I would appeal to anyone who can contribute in terms of infrastructure, books, stationaries, to make this place conducive for learning”, said Jecinta Musau, the Operations Officer African Elite Group.
Founder of Kilifi Mums, a women’s organization, Kibibi Ally, said the problem of lack of pads among girls in Kilifi County has become chronic because of extreme poverty in their families.
She added that the situation has been contributed by the drought as parents struggle to find food and lack money to buy pads for their daughters.
She appealed to the national and county governments to pay attention to the donations of sanitary pads in large quantities, especially schools in rural areas which apart from inadequate pads, also lack water, thus making the life of girls more difficult during their menstruation.
Gandani Primary School Headmaster William Mdoe said there have been cases of children being impregnated in this school, highlighting the lack of pads as one of the possible reasons.
Despite appreciating the efforts of the government and the organizations for their donations, he revealed that there are times when the sanitary pads run out, leaving girls helpless again, and therefore appealed for sustainable help.
By Jackson Msanzu
