Kenyan musician Kennedy Obimba, known professionally as King Kaka, has launched the 'Bank On Me Sanitary' initiative to address menstrual hygiene challenges affecting schoolgirls. The campaign aims to provide sanitary towels to 100,000 girls in partnership with Kim Fay East Africa, Better 4 Kenya, and SkyWard Express.
During a previous campaign, King Kaka highlighted alarming statistics: 65% of girls in rural and slum areas engage in transactional sex to purchase pads, 70% cannot afford them, and students miss 60-70 days annually due to lack of access. The 'Bank On Me Menstrual Walk 2019' will take place from August 19 to 24, covering 154 kilometers from Nairobi to Nakuru, culminating in a concert.
Evelyn Wangeci, brand manager at Confidence Sanitary Pads, noted that 88% of girls in remote Kenyan schools lack access to pads. She emphasized that monthly absenteeism due to unavailability of sanitary products directly impacts academic performance. Dennis Njenga, MD of Kaka Empire, reported reaching 12,000 girls through the campaign and aiming to assist 15,000 more this year.
The initiative comes as concerns persist over the government's 2017/2018 budget allocation of Ksh.470 million for free sanitary pads, which failed to reach beneficiaries. A May 2019 Citizen TV investigation revealed girls in rural Kenya still lacked pads, with some unable to afford basic undergarments. The report labeled sanitary towels a 'luxury item' for impoverished students.
