In a bid to increase girls’ retention in schools, Kiambu County Directorate of Social Services is distributing essential sanitary towels to public primary, special primary and secondary schools across the county
The programme which was launched on Monday October 14, 2024 will run to Friday targeting vulnerable residents and students in all 60 wards present in the county.
Chief officer Vocational Training & Social Services Emily Nkoroi who led the exercise in schools at Limuru Subcounty, said the aim is to provide all school girls with sanitary towels to minimise absenteeism and put them at par with their male counterparts.
“The objective of the programme is to increase the access of teenage girls to sexual and reproductive health products to increase their retention in school, transition to higher levels of learning and thereby enhance their academic performance” Nkoroi said.
She said the programme will also provide diapers to children in special primary and adult diapers to vulnerable residents.
“Last year when we conducted this exercise, we discovered there was need to address critical needs among disadvantaged individuals, to ensure they can access basic hygiene products that are often overlooked,” she said.
County Director for Gender and Social Services David Warwathe said the program is going to benefit about 20,000 people in the county.
“At the moment only identified public primary schools, special primary and secondary schools have benefited with the programme, but plans are underway to ensure the program covers all needy girls and women all across the county” Warwathe said.
The county government called on to partners who can supplement the county government effort by procuring sanitary towels for girls out of school and vulnerable women such as street women and girls, girls in informal learning institutions and settlements.