Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru is undertaking a sanitary pads’ drive as part of a programme to empower the girl child.
At a function held at Kiamugumo Secondary School grounds on Thursday, the governor donated pads to over 500 girls from the area. This was part of the 27, 000 packets of pads that will benefit about 9, 000 in the current donation drive.
Waiguru said that the programme was part of the county government’s effort to empower the girl child and save them from missing school during their menses which she said was making about three out of 10 girls miss school each month.
“Menstrual cycle is a natural process which should not deter girls from participating fully in their studies hence we are working to ensure that our girls are given equal opportunity to attend classes just like the boys,” said the governor.
She said that absenteeism was negatively impacting the performance of girls and therefore no effort should be spared to ensure undisrupted school attendance by girls.
The programme is a combined effort of the county’s Departments of Gender and Education which have been going around the county distributing pads and mentoring girls.
The governor said that being a woman governor and the only woman governor in Mt. Kenya Region, she is out to inspire young girls to believe that they could attain their dreams of becoming what they want, be it becoming the President, a Governor, a pilot, an engineer or any of their chosen professions.
“Girls can achieve as much as boys if they work hard and believe in themselves,” she said while encouraging the girls, using her academic and leadership achievements as examples that one could achieve their dreams if they worked hard.
To the amusement of the girls and other attendants Governor Waiguru also led the girls into dancing Jerusalem which she said was just to instill positivity and a feel good factor in them.
She encourage them that despite the challenges posed by Covid-19 and being at home for so long, there was still a bright future to look forward to.
The governor was accompanied by several members of the County Assembly and County Executive Committee members.
By Irungu Mwangi
