KISII, Kenya, May 28- Getting out of her way as a civil servant to provide free sanitary pads for young girls in school for menstrual hygiene is something she has given a priority and determination to do due to her past experience when she was growing up.
Edinah Nyaboke Kangwana is a source of hope to many young girls deep in the villages of Kisii and Nyamira Counties who are unable to afford sanitary pads during their menstrual periods both at home and in school.
During Covid19, Kangwana became famous among young girls and women in the villages of two counties where she could supply them with sanitary pads, soaps, and body lotion for their menstrual hygiene.
“As everything went south during the Covid-19 period, girls became very vulnerable and their menstrual hygiene became a health hazard as little was done from individuals, governments, and organizations to rescue them,” says Kangwana.
With her own funds, and donations from family and friends she was able to provide these towels to help girls during the menstrual cycle and post Covid-19 period.
She says that she was able to reach out to thousands of young girls through organized meetings with parents and village elders who ensured every girl receives a sanitary pad and mentorship on menstrual hygiene.
After Covid-19 and the reopening of schools, these girls were much in need of the sanitary pads to keep them in school, with the fracturing economy and loss of jobs, many parents and caregivers were unable to provide sanitary towels to most of the girls as they viewed it as a luxury.
“After reopening of schools, we have seen girls dropping out of school for days till they complete their menstrual cycle and then resume classes and this is a big challenge for them to cope up with other students,” said Kangwana.
-Reusable sanitary towels-
Kangwana thought of a quick and long-lasting solution to fix the problem of these girls from dropping out of school by starting supplying them with reusable sanitary towels
With other stakeholders, she came up with the idea of improvising reusable sanitary towels which are tailored by local sewers and are enough for a cycle.
They can last up to two years. They are less costly and are very environmentally friendly.
The reusable towels are washable and they are made from pieces of clothing and cotton, she could purchase fabric and cotton, and hire an experienced sewer who would do the job perfectly at an affordable price.
“As much as I try to purchase the sanitary pads, I discovered the washable ones are cheaper, affordable and easy to use and environmentally friendly,” she says.
“I have reached over to over 50, 000 girls by visiting them in schools, offering them mentorship and then talking about menstrual hygiene, I do not only give them sanitary pads but soap, body oil and sometimes toothpaste and tooth brush.”
She added ‘We realized that inclusivity is the most sustainable way to approach menstrual hygiene so we incorporate the boys also in the case of mixed schools the teachers and the parents.”
She could make a thousand washable towels, and distribute them with soaps and body lotion to enable the girls to maintain hygiene.
Ruth Bosibori a form two student says, she is a beneficiary of the reusable towels and this has sustained her during her cycles for six months now.
Previously the form two student was using sanitary towels which she could purchase at Sh50 and one packet could not be enough for her full cycle which would take her four to five days.
“My poor mum who depends on casual jobs would not afford the Sh100 for me every month so that I can purchase the pads. This put me into an awkward situation,” she noted.
She was lucky to be one of the beneficiaries from Kangwana’s donation of six pieces of reusable towels and since then her menstrual life changed, she is comfortable and present for classes for all school days.
Counseling psychologist David Omandi says young girls especially those who start their menstrual periods early get severe mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder.
From the age of nine years when they first have their menstrual period, these young girls feel ashamed and develop low self-esteem until someone explains to them what’s happening in their bodies.
“It’s the responsibility of mothers or women figures in these girls’ lives to tell them the changes in their bodies and what they expect,” says Omandi.
Due to such disorders, some girls may become prone to substance abuse delinquency and dropping out of school.
She says such girls also suffer from irritability, being nervous, and anxiety.
This interrupts their daily lives.
Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache while handing over a donation of sanitary pads, soaps and panties to girls at St.paul Nyandoche 11 secondary school in Nyamira County noted that sanitary pads are necessities that should be available for every girl.
She added the sanitary pads will help in keeping these young girls in school to study for them to achieve their ambitions in the future.
A UNESCO report estimates that one in ten girls in Sub-Saharan Africa misses school during their menstrual cycle.
By some estimates, this equals as much as twenty percent of a given school year.
There is increasing recognition that in low-income contexts, women struggle to manage menstruation in an effective and hygienic way.
This has been linked to negative impacts on health, education and wellbeing.
A lack of clean and reliable menstrual absorbents has received much of the attention, with interventions focused on the provision of these products to improve poor menstrual hygiene and associated consequences.
There has been a proliferation of programs and organizations providing girls with menstrual absorbents, most frequently washable pads.
In Kenya, 65 percent of women do not have access to sanitary pads. Either they cannot afford the cost of menstrual products or the products aren’t available in rural areas where they live.
These women are left to use homemade alternatives such as rags, blankets, pieces of mattress, tissue paper and wool.
The sanitary value of these substitutes is often compromised, exposing them to infections.
One of the most significant hardships for young girls living in developing countries is feminine hygiene.
Kenyan women are no exception to this adversity. It impacts every community.
Without proper education or resources to address feminine hygiene, many young girls in Kenya are susceptible to infections and other health risks.
Menstrual cycles give girls in villages a monthly challenge and sometimes cause them to miss school, hindering educational development.
Fortunately, enough, there have been movements empowering women in Kenya through the use of reusable pads and the increase in menstrual education.
Cultural taboos play a large part in feminine hygiene as well. Insertable products, such as tampons and menstrual cups, are disapproved by many Kenyan communities.
Certain regions believe them to conflict with a woman’s purity and virginity.
Many women are uncomfortable with insertable for this reason.
Taboos affect not only product usage but also the availability of information on feminine hygiene.
According to Borgen magazine, only 12 percent of Kenyan girls feel comfortable discussing menstrual topics with their mothers.
This makes it difficult to close the gap in accessing vital puberty awareness and education.
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