KEEP A GIRL AT SCHOOL

KEEP A GIRL AT SCHOOL

About this campaign summary.

Adolescence is a crucial stage of life and one that is challenging to most girls because of its physical and psychological changes. One of the major physiological changes in adolescence girls is menstruation.

As the global lockdown occasioned by COVID-19 has forced people to stay home and live on reduced income, thousands of girls across Kenya who live in informal setlements are struggling to access sanitary pads. Add to that the lack of school fees and you have the recipe for disaster. In Kenya, one million girls miss school each month because they cannot afford sanitary pads, while some share used ones.

As schools have just been opened two weeks ago, our organization visited different schools especially those in informal setlements and marginalized rural areas where we found that most of girls are fighting period poverty. Speaking to their teachers and parents, high number of these school girls have been using unhygienic materials such as torn pieces of cloth, matters sponge, animal skin, old rags, leaves, cow dung or even dig a hole on the ground to sit on for the whole period as a means to manage their menstrual flow. Use of these unhygienic materials can lead to; leakage, infections, psychological discomfort which may culminate to poor performance and stigmatisation.

Data from the ministry of education revealed girls from poor families’ miss 20% of school days in a year due to lack of sanitary towels. The data indicates that a girl in primary school in between class 6 and 8 can lose up to 18 weeks out of 108 weeks while those in high school can lose almost 24 weeks out of 144 weeks of learning.

In regard to this situation therefore, we the Youth and Governance Kenya (YouthGovKenya) initiated this programme of sanitary towel support to adolescent girls in rural informal schools, urban slums, orphanages and child care homes in Kenya. The aim of the programme is to improve their menstrual hygiene and health as well as reduce their discomfort during school days. This will in turn improve their attendance to school and performance as well.

CHALLENGE

Most female students are not able to afford the purchase of sanitary pads. Using other means these girls are left uncomfortable and often unhealthy during their menstrual cycle. This leads to many of them missing school for a few days in each month as they are too uncomfortable or embarrassed to attend. Even if they attend school, they remain distracted and fail to pay attention to their lessons. Because of this, she will get behind in her school work and will have a difficult time catching up. Often, they decide to drop out of school, rather than always be behind.

SOLUTION.

We, in partnership with so many volunteers, will provide school girls aged 10-24 with training and reusable sanitary pad kits and school supplies. We know that: Girls who have sanitary hygiene are more confident in school and more likely to graduate. For every year of education a girl receives, her future income increases. When a girl has 7 or more years of education, she marries 4 years later and has 2.2 fewer children. She will speak up for herself & others and contribute to her community

As a community organization, we acknowledge that this is a great need and one that needs intervention. Female should be healthy and comfortable during their menstrual cycle and not forced to miss school.

LONG-TERM

Girls will stay in school, educating themselves and preparing themselves for the future. Girls in the developing world who know that education is their way out of the cycle of poverty don't drop out of school because they want to, but rather, due to external forces. Lack of sanitary pads is one of the biggest reasons to do so. With this project, we'll keep the girls in school by giving them supplies and pads and they, in turn, will help their communities and families as they are educated.

USE OF THE FUNDS.

Our target is to raise $2,000 USD to help us in keeping these needy girls at school.

The funds will be used to purchase sanitary towels to the neediest girls in rural informal schools, urban slums, orphanages and child care homes.

The smallest deeds we do while alive is the only we leave a name even after our last days, and the same kindness we’ll experience before the eyes GOD. Your $1,$2 or anything you have will be highly appreciated. Kindly Share.