Promoting hygiene and personal care among teenagers is essential to building confident, healthy, and focused learners, girls’ rights defender Doreen Totona Korir has said.
Speaking at Murinduko Baptist Senior School in Kuresoi North, Nakuru County, Korir emphasized that no girl should miss learning opportunities due to a lack of proper hygiene and sanitary support.
“Every girl deserves the opportunity to learn with dignity and confidence. Lack of sanitary products should never be a reason for a girl to stay away from school,” Korir said.
She observed that poor hygiene among adolescents often contributes to absenteeism, low self-esteem, and vulnerability to negative societal influences.
“When girls lack basic hygiene necessities, they lose confidence, miss classes, and may be exposed to behaviors that can derail their education,” she added.
Korir urged parents, schools, community leaders, and development partners to collaborate in promoting hygiene and personal care for girls.
During the event, she engaged students on the importance of prioritizing education and distributed sanitary pads to support menstrual hygiene management. Korir pledged to extend the initiative to more schools across Nakuru County.
The beneficiaries welcomed the program, noting that it would alleviate a major barrier to their education.
“We are grateful for the support. The sanitary pads will help us attend school comfortably and concentrate on our studies,” said one of the learners.
Despite ongoing efforts by various stakeholders to distribute sanitary towels across the country, many Kenyan girls continue to face challenges accessing these essential products, frequently resulting in interrupted learning.
