Sanitary Pads for Schools

Kenya, Africa

Kanyakwar Community Based Organization was founded in 2012 in Kisumu West Sub- County to lift the community out of poverty by providing access to education for orphans and vulnerable children, micro loans and entrepreneurship training for small businesses as well as HIV/AIDs awareness for the Kisumu East Sub-County in Kisumu County, Kenya.

Kanyakwar C.B.O recognizes that education is a potent tool to lift community members out of poverty. One of the barriers to education for girls from poor households is school absenteeism during their menstrual periods and lack of learning equipment such as exercise books. Period poverty, or the inability to afford and access menstrual products, sanitation and hygiene facilities costs school going girls a lot.

According to a 2024 Kenya government report, lack of access to safe, sustainable sanitary products and education on menstrual health causes over one million girls in Kenya to miss three to four days of school every month. Thus, period poverty remains a major challenge to the education of girls in low income settlements in urban and rural areas in Kenya.

This SEAD Fund grant will purchase sanitary products and books for 300 school girls in low income households in Kanyakwar location, Kisumu West Sub- County, Kisumu County. The grant will also provide for education and awareness of menstrual health targeting adolescent girls especially within the school setting.

The following are the expected outcomes:

1. Increase in school attendance
2. Reduction in sexually transmitted infection
3. improved health due to reduction in bacterial vaginosis

Sanitary Pads for Schools website