Let us all rethink menstrual hygiene by making sanitary towels free and available-ClariceMuloma.
Nominated Senator Hon Gloria Orwoba deserves a standing ovation from all of us.
Menstrual hygiene among young ladies across the country has reached very disturbing levels. Those of us who are women and have a first hand experience in so far as menstruation is concerned should help illuminate the light that Gloria has lit.
Vulnerable young girls from the less privileged societies especially in the rural areas and informal settlements/slums have had to carry the menstrual shame for a long time.
Young girls are losing valuable school hours simply because they cannot afford sanitary pads to help them out during their heavy days.
Make sanitary pads free just like condoms.
Whereas the ministry of health has always tried to ensure condoms are available free of charge, it beats logic to why the ministry of education cannot make the precious stuff readily available to our young girls.
I have personally taken an initiative to try and minimise the shame our young school going girls go through both in Slum areas and in rural villages of Vihiga county. But due to the limited resources, we can just do as much. However I want to thank all the friends and partners who have come forth via my foundation to assist.
Young girls engaging in sex in exchange of pads.
The situation in rural villages and slums is so deplorable. Stories of young girls trying to hustle up and down to cover the womanhood shame will tear you down.
In Chavakali for instance, my team (Muloma Foundation) encountered a 15 year old girl who because she could not afford the precious commodity/pads, she had to have multiple sex affairs just to get money for it. Eventually she became pregnant, dropped out of school and start nursing her kid.
Such ugly incidences can only be avoided only if we all talked candidly without fear and ensure the girl child is rescued.
Kenya Kwanza government should actualize its manifesto of ensuring sanitary towels are free to all women.
The jubilee administration started well by removing tax on sanitary towels, but they missed a point when they overlooked the same tax on materials used in making the pads. By so doing, they gave us with the right hand but the left was also taking away the gains. This in itself has made it even harder for our women to menstruate with dignity.
This can be corrected by the government of the day by ensuring free sanitary towels across the country as per the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto.
Kenya Kwanza Govt Will Provide Free Sanitary Towels For All Girls: Ruto
president Ruto’s pledge qs he launched the women charter at Nyayo in June 2022.
We salute the president for the efforts of ensuring women get their rightful space on the high table but the young and underprivileged must be considered too.
As we continue pushing for a more dignified life for the women of Kenya during their menstrual days, let us stand firm and support efforts by Sen Gloria .
If we can have free toilet paper , Condoms Despenser in almost every toilet in the Kenya., we can also have free menstrual pads for all women.
# FreeThePeriod
Pads Then Condoms
Clarice Imali Muloma is a trained teacher , womens rights crusader, and Founder of Muloma Foundation that helps the girl child in matters education and health email her clariceimali@gmail.com
