Tharaka-Nithi governor’s wife Lucy Ragwa gives sanitary towels to 500 schoolgirls
What you need to know:
- During the ceremony at Karimba Day Secondary School, girls from 11 primary schools and one secondary got reusable sanitary towels.
- Mrs Ragwa said many girls, especially those in primary schools, miss classes for more than five days every month during their menstrual periods.
- She said that for equality to prevail between the boy and girl child, there should exist a balance especially in education.
- She urged parents to shun traditions which distance them from their girls and instead share with them their life experiences.
More than 500 primary school girls in Muthambi Division, Tharaka-Nithi County Wednesday received sanitary towels from Governor Samuel Ragwa's wife, Mrs Lucy Ragwa.
During the ceremony at Karimba Day Secondary School, girls from 11 primary schools and one secondary got reusable sanitary towels.
The towels can be reused for more than one year.
Speaking during the ceremony, Mrs Ragwa said many girls, especially those in primary schools, miss classes for more than five days every month during their menstrual periods and this affects their academic performance.
She said that for equality to prevail between the boy and girl child, there should exist a balance especially in education.
“Our girls need to have equal opportunities in academics so that they can compete favourably with boys,” said Mrs Ragwa.
She noted that there has been a big problem with some girls using old clothes and mattresses as sanitary pads due to poverty. This, she said, exposes them to diseases.
Mrs Ragwa regretted that many girls suffer due to lack of courage to ask their parents to buy them the pads.
Mrs Lucy Ragwa with some of the schoolgirls who benefited from her donation of reusable sanitary towels. PHOTO | ALEX NJERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
CALL TO PARENTS
She said that parents should be open enough to share with their girls on their biological set up in order to avoid frustrations during this period.
“Our African culture is a big barrier especially to fathers on sharing with their girls on issues that concern their bodily development and this leads to girls suffering silently,” said Mrs Ragwa.
She urged parents to shun traditions which distance them from their girls and instead share with them their life experiences.
She urged parents to stop reprimanding their girls when asked for money to buy the towels and instead support them so that they can remain comfortable in class.
Mrs Ragwa said that many girls in primary schools lack self-esteem and end up dropping out of school during the menstrual period because they cannot share with the teachers or parents.
She urged teachers to show them a lot of love and concern so that they can build self-esteem for them to voice out their problems.
TEACHERS BE FRIENDLY
“Teachers are professionals and they need to be friendly to the girls by encouraging them to be open,” she urged.
Mrs Ragwa asked the parents to shun female genital mutilation (FGM) in order to allow the girls to continue with education.
She noted that some parents especially in the parts of Tharaka and Igamba Ng’ombe still continue to expose their girls to FGM.
“Once a girl undergoes FGM she feels that she is mature enough to have a family mainly because of the things they learn during the seclusion period.
“We need to join hands in empowering girls so that they can equally contribute to the development of the community,” she said.
She noted that there was laxity even in handling the boys and asked teachers and parents not to forget the boy child who is also exposed to the risk of drug abuse.
“Our boys should not be forgotten. Let them get advice from the teachers and parents on the consequences of drug abuse,” urged Mrs Ragwa.
Mrs Ragwa promised that through her family foundation, Kaari Getu (our girl), together with her friends from the US and the county government, will continue to support girls in the county in order to promote them.
