Alarm as lack of sanitary towels fuels school girls' absenteeism, dropouts

Education stakeholders have decried high levels of school absenteeism among girls following the onset of puberty, attributed to the unreliable and uncoordinated supply of sanitary pads.

They say that the situation is worse in rural schools, as most girls cannot afford the pad. Teachers said girls miss three to four days from school every month, translating to two weeks in a term.

Dorine Wesonga, a teacher at Gongoni Secondary School in Magarini, said that out of the 450 girls in the school, most of them miss classes during their menstrual periods due to a lack of sanitary pads.

She said it was an uphill task for parents to tackle menstrual hygiene, and that leaving the girls on their own would expose them to sex predators.

"The support we get from well-wishers is never enough. Sometimes we spend several months without this support, which forces many girls to stay at home during their menses," she said.

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Ms Wesonga called on the government and other well-wishers to ensure the pads are distributed to rural schools, as the high level of absenteeism was affecting the academic performance of the girls.

“The situation is dire as girls can scarcely afford sanitary pads. They endure a challenging time during their menstrual cycle, which has resulted in school dropouts, missed classes, and a decline in the academic performance of girls. We require additional support to tackle this situation," she said.

Dama, a girl at the school, said stigma surrounding menstruation and a lack of sanitary pads have forced several girls to drop out of school.

"I got her first period in Grade Six, and it was terrifying. I thank God I got help, but some of my classmates miss school because their parents cannot afford the pad," she said.

Gandani Primary School receives pads from different well-wishers. A report by Kilifi County states that many girls do not understand what is happening when they start menstruating.

"They either go into hiding or start using traditional concoctions proposed by their peers to stop the flow. Mothers often do not discuss menstruation issues with their daughters," states the report by the County Ministry of Sports and Gender.

Mr William Mdoe, a headteacher at the Gandani primary school, said the government needs to understand that menstrual hygiene is something that needs to be given the right attention.

"Some girls start menstruating early. As a teacher, sometimes I am forced to go into my pocket to buy a box or two for the girls to remain in class, but it is never enough,” he said.

Kibibi Ali, founder of Kilifi Mums, which supports girls with free pads, said the government should assist young girls with menstrual kits every month.

“The period is the most common experience women share, so why should so many women and girls experience it in isolation and be unable to go to school or go to work or just freely do household activities?" she said.

Founded in 2018, Kilifi Mums creates informative content about menstruation through multimedia platforms and advocacy workshops.

Kibibi called on the national county governments to either subsidise sanitary pads or provide them for free, just like condoms.