A bold initiative by the Young African Women Initiatives (YAWI) is tackling deep-rooted menstrual stigma and barriers facing adolescent girls across Kenya. The campaign, launched at Naka Comprehensive School in Nakuru, aims to promote menstrual health, end period shame, and empower girls to exercise their rights with dignity.
Despite menstruation being a natural biological process, it remains surrounded by harmful taboos and stereotypes that contribute to gender inequality. According to YAWI Executive Director Fidelis Karanja, this stigma, coupled with limited access to menstrual products and proper hygiene facilities, often forces girls to miss school or even drop out entirely.
Karanja recalled a tragic 2019 case in which a schoolgirl took her life after being humiliated by a teacher for menstruating. “We cannot allow such preventable incidents to continue,” she said, calling for urgent policy implementation and increased government funding for menstrual health initiatives.
During the event, over 1,000 sanitary pads were donated to pupils, who also received training on proper pad usage, disposal methods, and quality checks. Significantly, the campaign includes boys in menstrual education, challenging societal norms that exclude men and boys from the conversation. “Menstruation is a sign of fertility and life. Boys must understand and support this natural function,” Karanja emphasized.
Naka Comprehensive School head teacher Joseph Salano echoed the call for collective action, urging government and stakeholders to ensure a consistent supply of free sanitary pads and improve sanitation infrastructure in public schools. Salano stressed that male teachers and boys have a vital role in offering psychosocial support and fostering menstruation-friendly environments.
Pupils like Keith Waithera and Jane Wangeci shared first-hand experiences of how lack of menstrual products affects school attendance and academic performance. Wangeci noted that some girls miss up to two weeks of school per term, especially in rural areas, due to unreliable access to sanitary pads.
The campaign highlights the urgent need for comprehensive menstrual health support to uphold the rights, dignity, and potential of girls and women across Kenya.
