By Obegi Malack
More than 59,000 girls in Kajiado County public schools will benefit from National Government sanitary pads project.
Kajiado County Woman Representative Janet Teiyaa said the project is giving support to girls to ensure they are in school.
Speaking after launching the project in Ngong Township Primary school and distributing water tanks, Teiyaa challenged the teachers to ensure girls receive the sanitary pads. The woman representative office will be in charge of the project in the county, she said.
“Girls will now not miss class, parents should ensure that girls are in schools,” she noted. She said she will continue to advocate women empowerment and has already supported groups through National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).
Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs, Rachel Shebesh who was the Chief Guest challenged the education officers and teachers to ensure the sanitary towels are given to the girls.
“Action will be taken against to anyone who goes against set rules.We have gender officers who will be monitoring and evaluating; they will be coming to schools asking if the girls have sanitary pads,” she said. She called on other well-wishers to distribute sanitary to other children who are not in public schools. Last month Kenya Works officials distributed free reusable pads manufactured in Vicodec Rongai and had called on the ministry to adopt the reusable pads to cut costs.
Peter Mungai who represented MP Joseph Manje said the MP’s office will continue to support the needy through CDF bursaries to ensure all children are in school.
Government will spend Sh470 million on the purchase and distribution of sanitary towels for school girls he noted, adding that the pads would be distributed to four million girls countrywide
A United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) study revealed that 10 per cent of African adolescent girls miss school during menses and eventually drop out of school since they cannot afford sanitary protection.
