480 days of sexual awareness and feminine hygiene program for girls in Kenya

Impact Level

Project managed by: So They Can

Country: Kenya

Project Description

This project focuses on girls aged 10-15 years and has the aim to keep the girls in school. So They Can provides education, guidance and counselling on hygiene, menstruation, sexual health and HIV. Education is an important asset for girls. Making and distributing reusable pads, alongside with health education, is at the heart of this program which can radically improve a girl’s attendance at school, improve her educational outcomes and remove the risk of early pregnancy and/or early marriage.

More About This Project

Society takes this simple product of a sanitary pad for granted. But in parts of Africa, a lack of education about menstruation, deficit of washing facilities at schools, and shortage of affordable feminine hygiene products means many girls miss as many as 5 learning days each month. So They Can is breaking this cycle. This addresses the issue of declining school attendance rate and increasing drop-out rate of girl students as they reach puberty, start menstruating and often become pregnant, and in some communities sold into child marriage. It is run in partnership with multiple local schools in slum areas. These schools are often under-equipped with limited resources and funding from the government. So They Can brings special support to bridge the gap and ensure all children can receive access to education. Education is an important asset for girls. It is essential the female students of those schools understand that they do not need to miss school or expose them to sexual diseases.