Accessing sanitary pads for most girls coming from poor
background has been a great challenge. They have always resorted to using
materials that pose as health hazards. Though many non-governmental
organizations have made efforts to help the girls, they have not been able to
reach all the needy girls. The girls undergo many untold difficulties because
of lack of this very important commodity. It is unfortunate that some female
leaders have done little to help. One of the touching incidences was when Citizen
TV aired a news feature highlighting the problems girls in Marigat in Baringo
County faced. Some female leaders from the region come out to refute the claims
as a make of the media. Some went ahead to give solutions such as using
mattress instead of the soil and animal skin the girls were using. If the
Swahili saying “Adui wa mwanamke ni
mwanake” is to go by, then these leaders are more than enemies of women. ‘Period of shame’ a news feature story
depicting the responses from the leaders, clearly paints a vivid picture of what really takes place on the ground.
Zero Stain Supper
Confidence
A section of students from Moi University have come up with
an initiative to collect sanitary pads on behalf of the girls from poor
families. The initiative dubbed Zero Stain Supper Confidence targets to
collect over 10,000 sanitary pads. The initiative was officially launched on 27th
of September at Moi University Main Campus. The initiative has since then seen
tremendous positive response from the students. So far over 1000 sanitary pads
have been collected. Dropping points have been set in different locations within
the Main Campus where students can drop the pads they wish to donate. Since the
initiative aims at collecting as many pads as possible, students are encouraged
to donate as low as one pad or a minimum of Ksh. 50 for those who may not be in
position to buy the pads. Ms. Linda Ng’ang’a, the initiative’s projects coordinator
said they are having plans to bring all Moi University stakeholders on board so
as to expand the initiative. She added that they are targeting both the
teaching and the non-teaching staff.
Ms. Karen Ondwasi, the initiative’s chairperson said they
are planning to also bring on board corporate bodies that will be willing to
offer assistance. She also added that they were planning to roll out the
initiative in all the campuses of Moi University. Speaking to My Herald
Magazine, Mr.Henry Orimbo, the initiatives’s public relations officer confirmed
that they had received a go ahead from the office of the dean of students which
had also promised financial support in the initiative. Seemly it is due to the
selfless spirit within the students that has made them to come to the rescue of
their Kenyan sisters in need of the pads. The initiative has a facebook page “Zero
Stain Supper Confidence” where interested parties can interact to the
benefit of the project. The pioneers of the initiative include Karen Ondwasi,
Linda Ng’ang’a, Henry Orimbo, Domnic Mitiro,Shaddy Mweke among others
This comes a few weeks after the Senator of Nairobi, Hon
Mike Mbuvi Sonko donated about 6000 sanitary pads to some schools in Nairobi.
