Dozens of schoolgirls have just received their first pack of reusable sanitary pads and it caught the attention of the local TV and radio stations in Western Kenya which aired the story.
Over the last few months we’ve been supporting a women’s group in Kakamega County, to make reusable pads for the girls in their local community. We provided them with funds to buy sewing machines, fabrics and all the tools needed to make washable sanitary pads. They rose to the challenge and made hundreds of pads which were delivered and distributed to girls at one of the local schools.
On the day, the schoolgirls, teachers and women from the sewing group came together to give out and receive the pads and it turned into a celebration event. The teachers commented that many girls don’t have access to pads because their parents cannot afford them. Each month they are forced to miss part of their schooling but by having free pads they’ll be able to continue their education. The girls celebrated by bursting into song and dancing.
Our local partner, Simon Achieno, has been managing and running this project for us, and the project would not have happened without his dedication and hard work. You can read more about him in this newsletter.