US donates 860,000 sanitary towels to Kenyan public primary schools

Receiving the consignment at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) on Tuesday, Basic Education Principal Secretary (PS) Belio Kipsang thanked the US Embassy in Nairobi, USAID and the US Department of Defense for partnering with Kenya the noble initiative.

Kipsang' noted that the donation will complement efforts by the Government to protect and promote the interests of the girl child's education.

He added that the government adopted the programme to address the absenteeism and dropouts among school girls, particularly those from rural and marginalized areas.

Gender and Affirmative Action PS Anne Wang'ombe said the donation affirms the aims and objectives of the World Menstrual Hygiene Day, which was marked on May 28, 2024.

She said the marking of the World Menstrual Hygiene Day aims at creating awareness about menstrual hygiene and eliminating the stigma associated with the menstrual cycle.

“Menstruation is surrounded by taboos in some communities, yet it is a normal biological process,” said PS Wang’ombe.

On her part USAID Kenya/East Africa Education Director Christine Veverka said that menstruation becomes a barrier for many girls in Kenya, crippling their ambitions to achieve their goals.

“Girls miss school, up to 20% each month, simply due to a lack of affordable sanitary products,” she noted adding that some are forced to resort to harmful practices to manage their menstruation.

Veverka added that the US is determined to help change this reality through its broader efforts to advocate for menstrual awareness. 

The received consignment was the second to be donated by the US through USAID and the US Department of Defense after the first one made in March saw 171,000 packets delivered to the Sanitary Towels programme.