The government has issued 33,628 packets of free sanitary towels to 4,804 girls across 185 primary schools in Mwala sub county.
Sub County Director of Education Ahmed Abdi said each girl will receive seven packets.
“The sanitary towels will be given out to standard eight and seven girls in all the primary schools in Mwala,”said Ahmed.
Speaking to KNA during the distribution of the pads to school heads, the Sub County Director of Education said the initiative is part of the government’s commitment to provide free sanitary towels to girls to minimise absenteeism of girls during their menses.
A UNESCO report in 2016 estimates that one in every ten girls in sub Saharan Africa do not attend school during their menstrual cycle.
He disclosed that the sub county last year received 60,130 packets of the pads targeting 8,591 girls in classes six, seven and eight under the same programme.
By Roselyne Kavoo
