- The National Government Affirmative Action Fund has provided free sanitary towels to 42,000 girls in Elgeyo Marakwet County to support their retention in school.
- The county leadership has pledged to continue lobbying the Government for early delivery of sanitary towels at the start of each school term.
A total of 42,000 girls in Elgeyo Marakwet County are set to benefit from free sanitary towels under the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), in a continuing effort to keep girls in school during their menstrual cycles.
County Woman Representative Caroline Ng’elechei said each girl from Grade Five to Grade Nine would receive three packets of sanitary towels during the current distribution phase.
Speaking during the launch of the programme at Iten Special School, Ms Ng’elechei said the initiative was designed to remove the fear and anxiety many girls face over access to sanitary products while at school.
She explained that the programme began in January, when each beneficiary received five packets, followed by four packets in the second term, and three packets in the current term. “The programme is meant to remove fear among girls and enable them to remain in school without worrying about where they will get sanitary towels,” she said.
Ms Ng’elechei urged parents to guide their daughters on proper menstrual hygiene and effective management of sanitary towels to prevent them from missing classes. “This will ensure that our girls do not miss school because they do not have sanitary towels and will also remove the burden from parents’ shoulders,” she added.
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She also cautioned teachers against subjecting girls to unnecessary questioning when collecting the items. “Teachers should not question girls when they go for the items because this can cause unnecessary inconveniences,” she said, noting that the sanitary towels had already been counted and allocated to schools. She urged teachers to facilitate distribution without creating unnecessary barriers.
The Woman Representative said she and her colleagues would continue lobbying the Government to ensure sanitary towels are delivered as soon as schools reopen each term, allowing for earlier distribution. “Our girls’ monthly cycle does not wait. We will continue lobbying the Government to release the sanitary towels immediately schools open so that they can be distributed early,” she said.
Ms Ng’elechei assured residents that the programme would continue and appealed to parents to work closely with teachers in guiding and counselling girls through puberty. She emphasised that parents and teachers share responsibility in helping girls understand the physical and emotional changes affecting their bodies.
“Parents need to work closely with teachers in guiding and advising our young girls so that they understand the changes affecting their bodies and how to cope with them,” she said.
The programme is expected to ease the financial burden on families while supporting efforts to keep girls in school and promote menstrual hygiene among learners across the county.
By Kimutai Langat
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