CBO Establishes Pad Bank at Nyawita Secondary School in Bondo

CBO Establishes Pad Bank at Nyawita Secondary School in Bondo

The Siaya Strategic Assembly (SSA), a community-based organization, has set up a pad bank at Nyawita Secondary School in the West Sakwa ward of Bondo Sub County to enhance access to free sanitary pads for schoolgirls.

SSA patron Mr. Ochieng Ajulu explained that the decision to create a pad bank at a school in West Sakwa was influenced by the high rates of teenage pregnancy in the area.

According to data from the 2024 Kenya Health Information Systems, teenage pregnancy in Siaya County is notably high at 21%, with West Sakwa ward reporting the highest number of cases—828 in total—among the thirty wards in Siaya.

Ajulu noted that the lack of sanitary pads has significantly contributed to the rising incidence of teenage pregnancies in the ward, emphasizing that improving access to pads could help prevent situations where young girls are sexually exploited by men.

Accompanied by SSA Secretary General Mr. Isaac Ng’iendo, Ajulu mentioned that the pad bank will allow community members to donate pads to the school, ensuring that girls who get their periods while at school do not have to go home to retrieve them.

Mr. Ng’iendo stated that providing pads to schoolgirls through SSA will help tackle issues of absenteeism and stigma faced by girls during their menstrual cycles.

He highlighted that many girls attending day schools in the area tend to stay home or experience low self-esteem during their periods, which negatively impacts their academic performance.

Ng’iendo also revealed that the Nyawita Secondary School pad bank is the sixth such initiative launched by SSA in Siaya County to improve access to sanitary products for girls.

Additionally, he announced plans to establish a similar facility at Usire Day School in West Sakwa ward next week, aiming to support more girls in the region and combat early pregnancies.

Mrs. Maryanne Saul, the director of studies at Nyawita Secondary School, expressed her gratitude to the SSA for the initiative, noting that many girls at the school come from families that cannot afford sanitary towels.

She shared that she previously had to buy pads for the girls out of her own pocket or seek assistance from the head teacher to provide for those in need.

“I sincerely thank the SSA for thinking of us. This initiative will help girls access pads, improve school attendance, and reduce the stigma that leads to low self-esteem among our students,” said the teacher.