SAPCONE Empowers Students with Dignity Kits: Ensuring Hygiene and Confidence

To commemorate Valentine’s day- 2024  Arsenal Turkana chapter, with support from Sustainable approaches for community empowerment (SAPCONE) and other partners distributed dignity-kits to Kataboi Secondary school in Turkana North .

The kits contain sanitary towels, cotton pants, toothbrush, soap and toothpaste, slippers and tissue paper each of these items is catered to the specific needs of girls.

The event was attended by numerous partners to equip adolescent-girls with knowledge on menstrual hygiene, management, confidence building and awareness.

Speaking during the distribution exercise organized by Arsenal Turkana chapter, The Director Sustainable approaches for community empowerment Amfrey Amoni , said, “most of the adolescent girls are unable to afford sanitary towels because of high levels of poverty.  Girls are forced to expose themselves to early pregnancy in exchange of sanitary kits.”

Amoni emphasized the significance of such initiatives in fostering a conducive learning environment. “Hygiene should never be a barrier to education,” he remarked. “Every child deserves the opportunity to focus on their studies without the worry of basic necessities. These dignity kits aim to ensure that no student is left behind due to circumstances beyond their control.”

A study by UNESCO found that in Kenya,  girls lose an average of 4 days of school a month, which costs them 165 learning days over four years of high school due to lack of hygiene kits making life  even harder.

Program officer for social protection Mr. Cleophas Lokuta, added that the program that has been recently implemented by SAPCONE targets Girls of Age: 9-17 years along the Lake zone who are at risk of Commercial sexual exploitation as a result of lack of access to basic dignity items.

And the parents of the identified vulnerable children are supported with grants to be able to carry out business to provide for their children.

Cleophas Lokuta said the program is laying the foundation for a brighter and more promising future for vulnerable school going children.

Arsenal Turkana chapter leadership also encourages the girls to work hard for a better future.