PH EMBASSY CONTINUES ITS SUPPORT FOR KENYAN SCHOOL GIRLS WITH HYGIENE KITS DONATION
Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang (third from left) led the turnover of 100 feminine hygiene kits to Sr. Felly Covacha and her team for their outreach in Maralal, Samburu.
NAIROBI, 27 October 2023 – On the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child (IDG) and as part of the Embassy's Gender and Development (GAD) program in Kenya, the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi donated a total of 200 feminine hygiene kits to students of Arid Zone Barsoloi Primary School in Maralal, Samburu, and Queen of Peace Girls Primary School in Lodwar, Turkana, both in northern Kenya.
This initiative by the Embassy, now in its third year, seeks to educate young girls on menstrual health and hygiene, thereby contributing to their well-being and empowerment.
Limited access to sanitary products, amplified by persisting cultural and social beliefs about menstruation, hinders the ability of many school girls in Kenya to take care of their menstrual health. Many girls skip classes whenever they have their monthly period, and this could negatively affect their access to opportunities for learning and self-development.
On 25 October 2023, Third Secretary and Vice Consul and Embassy GAD Focal Point Louie Dane C. Merced, in coordination with Sr. Madonna Canja and Sr. Genie Herran, Filipino missionaries from Mensa Domini Sisters, led the distribution of hygiene kits to students in Turkana, located some 800 kilometers northwest of Nairobi.
During the brief program, Vice Consul Merced provided the students with an overview of the IDG, as well as anintroduction about the Philippines and the work of the Embassy. Sr. Canja and Sr. Herran taught the students how to take care of themselves whenever they have their menstrual period so that they will no longer have to miss their classes.
Meanwhile, on 17 October 2023, Sr. Felly Covacha, another Filipino missionary from the Carmelite Missionaries-Nairobi, handed over the Embassy’s donation to students in Samburu county, about 450 kilometers north of Nairobi, after personally receiving 100 kits from Ambassador Marie Charlotte G. Tang.
Both schools expressed their appreciation for the Embassy’s donation, noting its positive and tangible impact on the lives of their students. They also voiced their hope for the Embassy's continued commitment to empowering young Kenyan girls, as well as boys.
In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated the 11th of October as the International Day of the Girl Child through Resolution 66/170. This observance acknowledges the unique challenges that girls face globally, while also promoting their rights and empowerment. Moreover, IDG emphasizes the need for increased advocacy and action to ensure equal opportunities for girls in all aspects of life. END
Nairobi PE’s Vice Consul and GAD Focal Point Louie Dane C. Merced (at the center, wearing black, Sr. Madonna Canja, Sr. Genie Herran (both wearing yellow) and Sr. Judith Nadwiri (rightmost) join the students for a photo after the distribution of hygiene kits.
Vice Consul Merced delivers a brief introduction prior to the distribution of hygiene kits.
Vice Consul Merced and GAD Alternate Focal Sherlyn Roxas assist in the distribution of the hygiene kits to the students, while Sr. Canja and Sr. Herran brief the students on the proper use and care of the kits.
The Embassy team had the opportunity of calling on Fr. John Mbinda, CSSp, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar (center), during which the latter shared more information about life in Turkana.
