Tana river: Tana River Woman Representative Amina Dika has launched an initiative to distribute free sanitary pads to schoolgirls to combat period poverty and reduce school absenteeism. MP Dika highlighted the initiative’s goal to prevent adolescent girls from missing school, dropping out, or resorting to unhygienic methods due to the inability to afford basic disposable menstrual hygiene products.
According to Kenya News Agency, education stakeholders have identified the lack of access to hygienic sanitary products as one of the biggest barriers to education for girls in rural public schools, hindering their academic progress. In the marginalized Tana River County, many adolescent girls miss school because of inadequate toilets, lack of disposable sanitary pads, and cultural stigmas that view menstruation as dirty and impure.
The Tana River County MP maintains that the free sanitary pad distribution program aims to promote gender equality and improve school attendance among schoolgirls, thus enhancing access to education. Speaking in Hola town while supervising the distribution of 23,400 packs of sanitary towels to public schools, Dika emphasized that access to these pads is a crucial step for the well-being of young girls across Tana River.
‘The initiative aims to ensure that no adolescent girl misses school due to period-related absenteeism,’ she stated during the launch of the pads labeled free of charge. She expressed her commitment to improving the welfare of women and girls across Tana River County through the promotion of menstrual health.
Dika stressed the importance of the initiative in ensuring menstrual dignity and supporting the education of girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. She noted that in Tana River, girls miss school and experience shame and cultural stigma because of widespread myths and misinformation surrounding menstruation.
The initiative, Dika said, focuses on promoting health, hygiene, and mental well-being among schoolgirls, particularly those in rural areas where access to menstrual hygiene products remains limited. ‘This initiative will help reduce absenteeism among schoolgirls besides ensuring that the lack of menstrual hygiene products does not affect their education,’ she asserted.
She went on to say that the sanitary pads will enhance the dignity and confidence of schoolgirls, especially those from underserved communities. Dika pointed out that for many years, girls have missed school, fallen behind in their studies, or dropped out due to menstruation and the inability to afford sanitary products.
‘We must ensure that girls stay in school confident, healthy, and empowered without missing lessons or resorting to unsafe alternatives,’ Dika stated. She said providing sanitary pads will, in the long run, ensure the well-being of young girls, promote gender equality in education, and remove barriers to learning.
Area County Commissioner Joseph Mwangi praised the initiative to provide free sanitary pads as a positive step toward empowering the girl child. He mentioned that the move will help prevent girls from staying away from school during their monthly periods due to a lack of access to clean hygienic products.
‘The provision of free sanitary pads will go a long way in keeping vulnerable girls in school,’ he said, noting that menstrual health should not hinder girls’ educational journeys. Mwangi added that the initiative will empower girls to fully participate in classroom and school activities and reduce dropout rates linked to menstrual health challenges.
Additionally, MP Dika disbursed cheques worth Sh7.1 million for the education bursary through the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) to support vulnerable students in secondary schools. Dika explained that the bursary will support bright learners from humble backgrounds, stating, ‘The funds will go a long way to provide educational support for vulnerable students.’
She emphasized that the funds are part of efforts to reduce the financial burden on poor families and ensure continued access to education for the beneficiaries. ‘We are committed to ensuring that no student from Tana River is forced to abandon their academic journey due to financial constraints,’ she concluded.
