Empowering Girls in Kibera

Every year on May 28th, women all over the world celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day. Because the menstrual cycle is so common, it might sound odd to have a day dedicated to it. However, in many areas, including the Kibera slum, menstruation is considered taboo or shameful. As a result, many myths about menstruation arise, and girls learn incorrect things about their health.

One of the goals of CFK’s Daughters United program is to teach girls accurate and reliable health information in a variety of areas, including sexual and reproductive health. This month, our target was to reach out to 600 girls in informal schools across Kibera. Throughout the month of May, we held 6 sessions on menstruation hygiene, each of which had 100 girls participate. We invited an external speaker who taught them about menstruation in depth. The girls were also trained on how to use sanitary towels, which we provided for them free of charge.

It is very important to train young adolescent girls on the importance of maintaining hygiene during menstruation. A lack of good hygiene leads to infections and at times affects their performance in school and their social lives. It is also important to teach adolescent girls about themselves, as knowledge and confidence build their self-esteem. With this knowledge about their menstrual cycles, they have nothing to fear in terms of embarrassment from a completely natural process. Instead, they can focus their efforts on their education, confidence, and long-term goals.