Keeping our young women in school - our journey

Global School Partners identified the issue of young women missing school for, on average, a week every month and the impact this had on their education and their self-esteem.

Initially GSP connected with Pad Heaven which is a Kenyan organisation dedicated to keeping girls in school by providing reusable/washable sanitary pads. In 2017 GSP initiated a trial which included an education session and provision of these pads, panties and soap.

The trial in 2017 proved that we could reduce absenteeism by 88%, so the girls were in class every week, every month! We also saw an increase in the young women's self confidence as they gained an understanding about the natural process of menstruation occurring in their bodies and a greater social acceptance as no longer were they excluded at school and at home.

However we found that the reusable/washable pads had some disadvantages:

They did not last as long as we were lead to believe, increasing the cost
Appropriate disposal of worn out pads was an issue
The girls were reticent to wash and dry the pads, especially in public
But the factor that caused us to move away from the reusable/washable pads was when a few girls suffered from infections - caused by lack of water, lack of adequate washing and drying etc

We investigated other reusable/washable pads but with the same results.

Our search turned to single use, disposable pads, which the girls and teachers had requested, but our challenge was responsible disposal. The toilets in the schools and at the girl’s homes are simple pit latrines, so disposal into these would have environmental and health concerns. We investigated incinerators, however the cost of building incinerators in each school that would be able to operate at temperatures required to avoid the escape of toxins into the air is prohibitive and we questioned whether schools would have the resources to operate the incinerators appropriately.

We had seen sanitary pads disposal bins in washroom facilities in Nairobi, Kisii and Kisumu (large cities or towns) and contacted the company Rentokil Initial, who after some negotiation agreed to visit our partner schools, even those in rural and remote areas, once a month to provide their disposal service. So our schools now have Rentokil Initial bins in each of the girls’ toilets and we provide sanitary pads to the young women students and teachers, along with a monthly education program and have trained a mentor in each school to provide ongoing support for these girls.

Funds are needed to continue the program in all our schools. Donate now.