Matagaro Mixed Secondary School in Rongo Sub-county has built a modern sanitation facility to help promote menstrual hygiene.
Speaking at the school during the opening of the facility, Migori Women Representative, Dr. Pamela Odhiambo, while giving out the sanitary towels to the girls, noted that the towels will aid and make sure that girls stay in school in an effort to help them have the confidence to face life’s challenges.
Odhiambo urged the girls to focus on their education and become better leaders now that their basic needs have been catered for.
Matagaro Principal, Mr. Abel Ong’ola, regretted that many girls miss school during their menses, due to shortage of sanitary towels.
The facility was built with the help of the school, Board of Management, parents and well-wishers.
The Principal said that many girls avoid classes because they have no sanitary pad disposal bins to change their sanitary towel while in school.
“Most of our girls do not come to school for days because they cannot bear the embarrassment they go through in school, when they are on their menses,” said Mr. Ong’ola.
Mr. Ong’ola said that when girls stay away from school because of their menstrual hygiene it affects their mental strength and academic performance.
Ms. Lilian Akinyi, the Guiding and Counselling Teacher, acknowledged that many girls shy away from other co-curriculum activities when they are on their menses, which has affected both their talents and academic performance.
She noted that the school Administration, Board of Governors and parents decided to craft an initiative of starting a modern sanitation facility, to help the girl child.
The Teacher said that so far the facility has boosted girl’s confidence and self-esteem by promoting menstrual hygiene.
The modern sanitation facility is equipped with sanitary towels, water and sanitary pad disposal bins to aid girls during their menses.
Ms. Akinyi said the facility will greatly improve girls’ stay in school and also improve their academic performance.
“After the modern facility toilet was built, several well-wishers moved in to make it a reality by providing sanitary towels to ensure that the school and the girls do not lack sanitary towels and water in the facility,” said Ms. Akinyi.
Migori Education, Director Mr. John Onyiego, urged other schools in Migori County to emulate and implement the same idea of modern sanitation facilities to help the girl child.
The Director encouraged the schools, stakeholders and educationists to help educate students on menstrual hygiene in order to help them understand changes in their body cycles.
He said that having the kind of facilities in schools, will help the girl-child boost their confidence, embrace their talents and improve the education performance of the minors.
BY Geoffrey Makokha
