1000 Kibera slum girls empowered to excel

Menstrual Hygiene day is celebrated on 28^th may every year. It’s a chance to highlight the importance of menstrual care, raise awareness about the issues faced by those who do not have access to sanitary products, breaking the taboos associated with menstruation and end the stigma. Polycom Development Project conducted a pad-drive with 8 GYW (Girls and Young Women) by distributing sanitary towels to adolescent girls and young women around kibera.

A total of 450 sanitary towels and  200 panties were successfully distributed accross the county.

Girls and young women were faciitated to conduct a twitter chat on menstrual hygiene the aim was to break the stigma around menstruation, provide access to menstrual health education ,and create the opportunity for all to have access to what they need to effectively manage their periods and also we passionately believe that everyone should have the basic right to menstruate without shame or stigma.

The social media handles to create awareness. Like:

#MentrualHgyieneDay

#Nomorelimits

Conclusion

Women, teachers and various stakeholders have attested to a great increase of number of girls who are in school which in the long run has improved their school performance and in the long run boosting the confidence of girls and women. Girls have been able to concentrate in school and be less stressful on matters concerning menstruation.

No one to Talk to.

She has been very quiet and gloomy, she doesnt play with other children and misses school so many time, and she has a bad smell, I have talked to her about taking showers everyday as a girl but I don't see the difference, can you find out what the problem is? Teacher Pretty (Not her real name) was very much concerned about the 12 year old girl. She joined this school 2 years ago and has never enjoyed playing, and shouting like many children her age.

Polycom mentors reached out to the little girl and she opened up. Before she joined this school she was in the village, living with a relative. The relatives wife would leave early every day for the market, the man would then invite her to his bed a defile her, she cannot remember how many times this happened. She was born before her mother got married and she did not take her along when she got married. Her grandmother later took her in and brought her to Kibera, she is too scared to tell her what happened, while in the village, this was in 2020. 

Infections

The girl has been discharging pus for a long time but she had noone to share with, she has been suffering serious lower abdominal pain which she has never brought herself to share with anyone, this is the reason why she has been missing school and very dull.

From January this year 2022, Polycom has taken a total of 6 girls to the hospital for reproductive health related infections, their panties have been replace and the girls are fairing on well. We are very grateful to the teachers who call us in when the girls are unwell, and for trusting us with the girls. 

Thank you GlobalGiving and our donors

These are ineventualities which cannot be budgeted for enough, the unrestricted funds from Global Givign has enabled us to give the girls hope, we continue to pay for the girls medical services, to support the mentors and to maintain the hygiene and sanitation programme.

 Talking Boxes

We still need you, we listen to girls voices through the Talking Boxes, kindly support us to do better and reach more.

Links:

• An Article by UNFPA about our Work