This archive report was first published on 18 October 2019.
Published on October 18, 2019, the M-PESA Foundation has partnered with the Ministry of Education to provide sanitary towels to over 800,000 girls in public schools, including those in Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps.
The sanitary towels are being distributed to all class 8 and Form 4 candidates in public schools, courtesy of the M-PESA Foundation and Ministry of Education. The distribution has already begun, with all sanitary towels meant for secondary school students delivered to sub-county education offices by October 18th.
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha said the government is committed to providing sanitary pads to girls, apart from providing free primary education and free day secondary education. He noted that the government spends KSh 470 million to provide pads to at least 1.4 million girls for a period of four months, which he said is inadequate.
Prof. Magoha directed the officers in his ministry to ensure that the sanitary pads are given to the girls without bias. The Chairman, M-pesa Foundation, Mr. Michael Joseph said the Foundation will work with local manufacturers to produce the pads, which will be distributed by the Ministry of Education at an estimated cost of KSh 281 million.
Mr. Joseph noted that the partnership will bring back dignity to the young girls, who are forced to use makeshift pads due to the unaffordability of sanitary towels. He said it is saddening that some girls engage in risky sexual behaviour to get money to buy pads.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Director Fathiaa Abdalla said UNHCR has partnered with M-pesa Foundation to provide girls in Kakuma and Daadab refugee camps with pads besides supporting their education. Over 450 girls will benefit from the free sanitary pads distribution in the refugee camps.
