Greenheart TeachUSA participant, Damaris Emily Weche, finished her Greenheart Impact Grant by providing menstrual health support and resources to more than 750 students in Kenya.
Menstrual Health and Education Support
Report Introduction: The project aimed to provide menstrual health support and resources to 1000 junior secondary school girls in Khwisero, Kenya, enabling them to attend school without interruption and reducing the risk of early sexual involvement, unwanted pregnancies, and dropout rates. It was implemented on September 6th 2024 at Mundeku Primary School in Khwisero constituency, Kakamega County, Kenya.
Objectives:
• Provide sanitary towels and menstruation pants to 1000 junior secondary school girls
• Reduce absenteeism and dropout rates among target girls during menstruation periods
• Promote menstrual health awareness and education
• Foster a supportive environment through mentorship and community engagement
Activities:
• Procurement and distribution of sanitary towels and menstruation pants
• Menstrual health education and awareness sessions
• Mentorship programs with local stakeholders
• Community engagement and sensitization Outcomes:
• 795 students from three schools were served
• Each student received 6 boxes of pads, enough to last 6 months
• Students were educated on sexual and mental health
• Project promoted menstrual health awareness and education
• Fostered a supportive environment through mentorship and community engagement
Challenges:
• Civil unrests and demonstrations in Kenya led to store closures and school disruptions and closures, interfering with our schedule.
• My school transfer from from South Florida to Tucson Arizona led to my relocation and a delay in receiving my new DS 2019 coupled with visa renewal issues made me cancel my planned trip to Kenya in June so I couldn’t be physically available for the event.
• Project implementation was postponed twice due to the above stated issues, and implementation costs increased. This led to dropping one school from the list.
Sustainability:
• Social media mobilization and fundraising from individuals willing to support the cause and give back to the community
• Plans to partner with local stake holders and community leaders for another round of distribution in June 2025 if all goes well.
Conclusion:
Despite challenges, the project successfully provided menstrual health support and resources to 795 students from four schools. The project promoted menstrual health awareness and education, reduced absenteeism and dropout rates, and fostered a supportive environment. We hope to continue the project and reach more students in the future.
Reported by: Damaris Emily Weche
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