A total of 29,876 girls from Elgeyo Marakwet County will get free sanitary towels from the government under the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).
The County Women Representative Caroline Ng’elechei said each of the girls from the 412 primary schools in the county will get 8 packets of sanitary towels saying the girls will be given 4 packets this term while the other 4 will be given next term.
Speaking at Kapsio primary school during the launch of the exercise, Mrs. Ng’elechei said they decided that the girls get half of the allocation while the other half will remain in school to prevent misuse.
She called on parents to guide the girls on how to manage the use of the towels to ensure they last them for the term saying this will ensure that the girls do not miss school because they do not have sanitary towels.
The women rep said together with her colleagues they will lobby the government to be releasing the sanitary towels immediately schools open so that they can be distributed early as their monthly cycle does not wait.
She appealed to parents to work closely with teachers in guiding and advising the young girls so that they can understand the changes affecting their bodies and how to cope with the same.
By Alice Wanjiru and Joy Jeelagat
