On Thursday 27 February 2020, AFRIpads- a foundation that manufactures reusable pads donated 420 reusable pads to DREAMS girls and young women at our Kibera site. AFRI-pads also offered training to the girls on how to use, clean and store the sanitary towels.

One of the major triggers for school dropouts by girls within informal settlements in Kenya is the lack of access to sanitary pads. The monthly demand and poor supply for pads put pressure on school girls to start earning. Often, this leads them to engage in transactional sex, which puts them in real danger of acquiring early pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

Jointly, AFRIpads and LVCT Health managed to distribute 240 reusable pads to the DREAMS beneficiaries. The activity was led by LVCT Health’s Regional Director Nairobi, Dr. Cleophas Ondieki and Muna Mohammed, Partnerships and Business Development Representative from AFRIpads. Also present were community elders and 60 DREAM girls’ mentors.

Each donation package has two reusable sanitary pads, underwear and a book detailing the proper use of the pads, which can be recycled for one year. The remaining donations will be shared amongst other needy adolescent and young women beneficiaries of the DREAMS project who live in other informal settlements in Nairobi.

The girls appreciated the donation of the re-usable pads which will help them save between 100-200 shillings a month. The donation will also help attend school throughout the term, hence improving their performance.

“I like the pads, I got two of them one for heavy flow and one for a light flow, said one of the beneficiaries. I no longer have to worry about asking men for money.”