ONCE A VULNERABLE GIRL IN KENYA REACHES PUBERTY, SHE GENERALLY MISSES ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF SCHOOL DAYS DUE TO HER PERIOD

 

For many girls in Kenya, reaching puberty can mean the beginning of a difficult chapter in their education. Without access to sanitary supplies, girls often miss up to 20% of school days each year due to their menstrual periods. When families are already struggling to afford basic necessities like food, sanitary products are simply out of reach.

In the absence of proper supplies, many girls resort to using rags, leaves, old newspapers, or even pieces of mattresses to manage their periods. Some are forced to sell sex in exchange for money to buy pads - putting them at risk for sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancies, and long-term emotional and physical harm. These unsafe and undignified methods not only endanger their health but also keep them out of school, perpetuating the cycle of poverty for yet another generation of women.

Although various humanitarian groups have provided disposable sanitary pads over the years, this solution is not sustainable. Pads must be continuously replaced, creating an ongoing financial burden for donors and our girls alike.

 

THE DISCOVERY OF A SOLUTION

In 2015, Changing Lenses, Changing Lives (CLCL) embraced a more sustainable, transformative solution: the menstrual cup. Though invented in the 1930s, menstrual cups have only recently gained widespread popularity. Made of medical-grade silicone, a single cup can be reused for up to ten years - providing a decade of dignity and freedom for a one-time cost of about $15 (roughly the cost of a three-month supply of sanitary pads in Kenya).

Thanks to a partnership with Ruby Cup, which donates menstrual cups and provides essential training, CLCL introduced the program to girls in the Kaaga Synod of Kenya in September 2015. What began with a few hundred cups in one school has grown into a far-reaching initiative. Today, we serve seven schools, our sponsored girls and their families, and mothers in the Meru community. Interest continues to grow, with head teachers now reaching out to request the program for their schools.

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A NEW WORLD OF POSSIBILITY

Initial skepticism often turns to joy after just a half day of training. Girls hug trainers, thank them enthusiastically, and celebrate this empowering change. One head teacher noted improved attendance, academic performance, and even enrollment, as families seek out schools where girls are supported with menstrual cups.

One student, Doris, summed it up best: “Now it is possible to work hard and be in class ALWAYS!”

The menstrual cup isn’t just a hygiene solution - it’s a life-changing tool for education, health, and empowerment for our Kenyan students.

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