Molo Deputy County Commissioner, Ngura Mwamachi, has underscored the need for sensitization of the boy child about menstrual hygiene awareness to fight the stigma associated with menses.
Mr. Mwamachi noted that many girls shy away from socialising during their periods to avoid getting teased by boys, hence the need to educate the boy-child to have them empathise with and be understanding about their sisters’ physiological development.
“It is crucial to also include boys in raising menstrual hygiene awareness to ensure girls do not feel ashamed of menstruation since it is a natural process,” Mwamachi stated.
He observed that in most cases, girls opt to miss school during menstruation to avoid the embarrassment of being taunted by boys out of fear of staining their clothes, period pain, and becoming less interactive in class. He added that this should not be the case, but instead, the boys ought to play a supportive role by ensuring that the girls are comfortable under all circumstances.
“Once the boys get informed on what girls go through during their menses, they will turn out to be a great support to the girls, who will feel more comfortable during their menses,” Mwamachi said.
The DCC was speaking at Molo during the distribution of 68,536 sanitary pads to 56 schools within the sub-county.
Present during the function was the area Sub-County Director of Education, Sylvester Musikoye, who encouraged girls to disclose when they are experiencing their periods to their parents or teachers to receive the necessary support, adding that they should not feel embarrassed about attending school during their periods.
He said that each pupil will receive eight packets of sanitary pads, each containing eight pieces, and thus will be well equipped to go on for several months during their periods.
This initiative has been done in collaboration with the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action to the tune of Sh876 million to benefit over two million girls in public primary, junior, and special schools nationwide.
By Emily Kadzoand Joseph Mwaura
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