Kajiado launches Sh10 Million free sanitary towels for school girls project

KAJIADO COUNTY: The county government of Kajiado is set to provide schoolgirls with free sanitary towels beginning this financial year.

County Executive Officer for education Mr Ali Letura told The Standard that more than Sh10 million has been set aside by the county government to purchase 25,000 pieces of sanitary towels that will be distributed to schools within the county.

Availability of the towels the officer said, will enhance academic performance among girls as well as their participation in extra curriculum activities.

Speaking during the sanitary towels launching ceremony held at Kilonito primary school in Kajiado West Sub County Wednesday, Letura noted that lack of access to sanitary towels is a challenge facing girls especially from remote parts of the county.

“Since the towels are not available in the manyattas, most girls have to travel all the way to urban centres to buy them, while a majority cannot afford them’’ said Mr Letura.

Other girls, he added, cannot store sanitary towels in their homes since their families are yet to embrace use of sanitary towels. For such girls, their sanitary towels are stored in their schools from where they access them when the need arise.

The officer who represented Governor Nkidianye noted that many schools in interior areas have male teachers only leaving girls with no one to sensitize them on matters of their reproductive hygiene such as the use of sanitary towels, he promised to address the challenge.

Executive Officer for Gender and Public Participation Ms Gladys Marima appealed to any well-wisher who would like to volunteer in creating awareness in schools about hygiene and use of sanitary towels to visit her office situated in Kajiado town.

During the function, a number of girls narrated heart wrenching stories of hardship the have undergoing in school without sanitary towels.