All nominated female Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) of Kisii on Thursday, May 28 took their menstrual hygiene awareness campaign to schools across the county as part of activities to mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day.
Led by Folifine Bwari, the MCAs visited several primary and secondary schools to distribute sanitary towels, conduct menstrual health sensitization sessions, and help break the stigma surrounding menstruation among learners. The leaders said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that no girl misses school because of her menstrual cycle.
The legislators partnered with key education stakeholders, including Dr. Magdalin Gesare of Egerton University and Everyone Ogendo. Together, they visited schools such as Kereri Girls High School, Igorera Mixed School, and Ichuni Girls High School, where they engaged learners on the physical and emotional changes experienced during adolescence.
Speaking during the outreach programme, Dr. Gesare encouraged the girls to embrace and understand the changes that come with maturity. She expressed hope for a future where adolescent girls receive adequate care and support as they transition from childhood to adulthood.
She also commended Nairobi County for introducing menstrual leave for female employees, saying the move helps women maintain emotional and physical balance during their menstrual periods.
Dr. Gesare and her team donated sanitary towels to the girls in all the schools visited and pledged to continue conducting regular sensitization programmes on reproductive health and body changes among adolescents.
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Speaking at Nyanchwa Girls High School, Bwari said the team was committed to expanding the awareness campaign across the country in a bid to safeguard the education of the girl child.
“We cannot talk about 100 per cent transition and retention of girls in school while ignoring menstrual health. This is a matter of dignity and equality,” she said.
The MCAs noted that inadequate menstrual support continues to negatively affect girls’ education, with many learners missing between three and five days of school every month due to lack of sanitary products, menstrual pain, and embarrassment. This translates to an estimated 20 to 25 lost school days annually.
According to the leaders, the absenteeism contributes to poor academic performance, low self-esteem, and, in some cases, school dropouts. They further observed that poor menstrual hygiene exposes girls to infections, while myths and silence surrounding menstruation continue to fuel shame and classroom distraction.
Kereri Girls High School Principal, Dr. Tabitha Mogonchi, lauded the initiative, saying the provision of sanitary towels and menstrual health education would greatly benefit girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.
She called on more partners and stakeholders to support similar programmes in order to bridge the gap in menstrual health access among school-going girls.
The MCAs also pledged to push for increased budgetary allocation towards sanitary towel programmes in the county assembly and to collaborate with well-wishers and non-governmental organizations to reach more schools.
“We are not doing this for politics. We are doing it because every girl deserves to sit in class with dignity every month, without fear or shame,” Bwari said.
By Enock Okong’o
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