G4G Week: Kabondo, Kenya pad distribution

Last month, 70 kits donated by Goods 4 Girls were distributed in Kabondo, Kenya thanks in part to the help of Kabondo Village facilitator Barbara Briggs. This distribution was months in the planning and I'm proud to say that the pads were finally distributed to the girls there.

Here is the note I received from the Project Director, Eric Ochanji:

Barb Briggs visited our project this week and had a very heavy itinerary which included distribution of the sanitary towels donated by Goods 4 Girls to Kabondo. Barb donated 70 [kits] to the poor pupils of Got Rateng' Primary School, Got Rateng' Secondary School and Oriang Secondary school.

The girls who received the towels had been pre-selected by the teachers and community members of the respective schools based on need and their inability to access these very vital items in their development. The towels were donated in the presence of teachers, pupils, Project Director Eric Ochanji, a UN Volunteer from Australia, Raul Caceres and 7 Advisory Board members.

Barb and two female Board members did the training on use of the towels and cleaning before the actual distribution was made.The parents and teachers present agreed that the absence of sanitary materials was a big challenge in the homes and schools which was adversely affecting school attendance, transition from one grade to another and overall performance in school of the disadvantaged girl child. They thanked Goods 4 Girls and you for this generous donation and asked for more future support in the project and beyond.

The reusable sanitary towels is a first in this region and it was evident in the eyes of the beneficiaries that a new and innovative way of helping them take charge of their destiny had been presented to them.

Thank you very much for this donation and we wish you well in your efforts to help lessen human need and suffering.

For more information on Barb's visit to Kabondo, you read about it here and here. From Barb's travel notes:

The kits were sorted and the girls were assembled in a classroom. I gave a brief demonstration on how to use and care for the pads. Two female teachers repeated the demonstration in the local language to ensure that the girls understood. One of the teachers agreed to try to use the pads herself so that she could better address any concerns of the girls and provide feedback on the pads.

The girls seemed interested in the pads and were eager to try them out. At first they were very quiet and shy, but began talking amongst themselves. The headmaster of the school was very pleased that I spoke openly about the use of sanitary pads and menstruation, as it shows the girls that it is okay to discuss and it is a natural part of life. She said this would go a long way to helping them open up with other related issues or concerns.

Again, for those of you interested in learning more about the program or are wondering how you can help donate, visit the How to Donate page.