By Gilbert Ochieng
Over 200 girls and 100 boys from Musoma AC primary school in Bunyala South ward, Budalangi Constituency, Busia County have every reason to smile after an NGO; The Kenya Works issued them with Makini sanitary pads and boxers.
Addressing the pupils and teachers after issuing the items, the Kenya Works Programme Coordinator Caroline Gitau who was accompanied by her colleagues Benjamin Makori, a social worker and Janet Wambui said the key purpose of providing the primary school girls who have reached menstruation stage is to enable them remain at school.
She noted that due to poverty, a big number of school girls across the country have been forced to engage in illicit love affairs in order to get the money for buying sanitary pads since their parents cannot afford them.
“This is the reason as to why the Kenya Works management unanimously resolved to allocate the funds to facilitate the acquisition of Makini sanitary pads for the affected school girls so as to save the situation”, she said.
Gitau said the Kenya Works, founded as a school project fifteen years down the line issued a total of 25,000 to school girls across the country in 2019, adding that in 2019 over 300 primary and secondary school students all over the country received scholarships with over 200 schools being provided with girls empowerment curriculum.
Considering the challenges the flood prone learning institution is encountering among lack of electricity, the school head Humphrey Ouma on his part appealed to Kenya Works to consider providing the school with solar power so as to enable the pupils to proceed on ICT programs.
“Our school is in dire need of power, so we are calling upon Kenya Works and other well-wishers to consider supporting us to bail us out of this situation,” said the school head.
On behalf of the school board of management, the school head thanked Kenya Works team for volunteering to provide the school with sanitary pads he noted would go a long way in enabling the pupils (girls) to put more effort in their studies without stress hence improving on the school’s academic performance.
The Kenya Works Programme Coordinator however assured the school head that the team will present the proposal to the management for a consideration.
