Menstrual Hygiene
Narok county has received 616,224 sanitary towels from the National government that will be distributed to schoolgirls in the county. Speaking during the International Menstrual Health commemoration day, the Narok County Commissioner Lotiatia Kipkech said the pads will keep the girls in school and they will be able to compete with the boy child.
“The sanitary pads will reach every girl in school. No girl will have an excuse of not attending school because of the monthly periods,” he said. At the same time, Lotiatia warned parents to take good care of their girls and protect them from all forms of retrogressive practices that compromise their studies.
“Mtoto umleavyo, ndivyo akuwavyo (The way you bring up a child, that is how he/she grows). Many children are failing in life because their parents failed to bring them up the right way,” he said. He cited Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), early marriages and teenage pregnancies as some of the retrogressive practices that hinder the success of the girl child.
The commissioner reminded the residents that any parent who subjects their children to the outdated practices or fails to take them to school will be arrested and prosecuted in court of law. “It is criminal to keep your children at home while other children are in school. Every parent should take the parental role of modeling their children the right way,” he said.
Agnes Mtambui, a parent at the school also lauded the government for the free sanitary towels and called on the girls to reciprocate the sanitary donation by working hard in school. She observed that many girls have fallen pregnant because of being deceived by men who offer them sanitary towels and pants.
“It is a great honour that the government of Kenya has introduced a programme to distribute sanitary towels to all schools. This will contain girls in school and boost their performance,” he said.
The function was held at Ilmashariani Primary school in Narok Central Sub County.