In many parts of Kwale County, adolescent girls continue to miss school every month because they lack access to safe, affordable menstrual hygiene products and accurate information about reproductive health. At Pamoja Community Based Organization (PACBO), we believe that no girl should have to choose between her health and her education.
That’s why we launched the Dignity Kits for Girls initiative — a program that provides schoolgirls with reusable sanitary pads, menstrual health education, and mentorship through community forums.
Breaking the Silence Around Periods
In many rural communities, menstruation is still surrounded by stigma, shame, and misinformation. As a result, many girls suffer in silence, often staying home from school during their periods. This leads to missed learning time, low self-esteem, and in some cases, dropping out altogether.
“Before this program, I’d stay home four days every month. I felt ashamed and alone,” says Amina, a 14-year-old student from Lunga Lunga.
“Now I have pads, and I know how my body works. I don’t have to miss school.”
Our team works with trained community health volunteers, teachers, and female mentors to deliver age-appropriate, culturally sensitive sessions on menstruation, hygiene, puberty, and girls’ rights.
What’s in a Dignity Kit?
Each Dignity Kit contains:
2–3 reusable sanitary pads
A bar of soap and underwear
An info booklet in English and Kiswahili
Access to a mentor or health educator
These kits are eco-friendly, locally sourced, and designed to last for at least a year — making them both sustainable and affordable.
Mentorship That Goes Beyond Periods
What makes this program different is its focus on the whole girl — not just her physical needs, but her emotional and social empowerment too.
Through our Girls Safe Space Forums, trained mentors meet regularly with groups of girls to:
Answer questions in a safe, shame-free space
Offer psychosocial support
Talk about rights, safety, and confidence
Encourage peer-to-peer learning and leadership
We also engage parents and male champions in these conversations to help break the stigma at home and in the wider community.
The Impact So Far
Since its launch, the Dignity Kits program has:
Reached over 500 girls in Lunga Lunga, Msambweni, and Kinondo
Trained 30 female mentors from local villages
Helped reduce school absenteeism among adolescent girls
Sparked open community dialogue around SRHR (Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights)
This is just the beginning. With more support, we hope to expand the program across all wards of Kwale County — reaching 1,500 girls by 2026.
How You Can Help
🌿 Donate: Just KSh 500 ($3.50) provides one girl with a complete Dignity Kit.
🤝 Partner: NGOs, schools, and women-led enterprises are welcome to collaborate.
📢 Share: Help us spread awareness by sharing this story with your network.
Together, we can end period poverty in Coastal Kenya.
💚 Ready to make a difference?
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