Kiambu county: In an effort to combat absenteeism and enhance educational opportunities for girls, the Kiambu County Directorate of Social Services has started distributing free sanitary towels to schoolgirls across the region. The initiative, which kicked off on Monday, is aimed at public primary schools and special primary and secondary schools, covering all 60 wards in the county. According to Kenya News Agency, the Chief Officer of Vocational Training and Social Services, Emily Nkoroi, spearheaded the distribution in schools within Limuru Sub County. Nkoroi highlighted the programme's goal to provide schoolgirls with sanitary towels to reduce absenteeism and ensure they can compete equally with their male peers. "The objective of the programme is to increase the access of teenage girls to sexual and reproductive health products so that we can increase their retention in school, transition to higher levels of learning, and thereby enhance their academic performance," Nkoroi stated. The initiative also ad dresses the needs of other vulnerable groups by providing diapers for children in special primary schools and adult diapers for vulnerable residents. Nkoroi reflected on the findings from the previous year's exercise, which emphasized the necessity to cater to the crucial needs of disadvantaged individuals, ensuring their access to basic hygiene products. David Warwathe, the County Director for Gender and Social Services, noted that the programme currently benefits approximately 20,000 individuals, primarily through selected public and special schools. "At the moment only identified public primary schools and special primary and secondary schools have benefitted with the programme, but plans are underway to ensure that the programme covers all needy girls and women all across the county," Warwathe explained. The county government is actively seeking partnerships to extend its reach, aiming to include out-of-school girls and vulnerable women, such as those living on the streets or in informal settlements, in their distribution efforts. Statistics from the Ministry of Education underscore the critical impact of absenteeism on learning. A girl missing four school days in a month loses approximately two weeks of learning each term, amounting to six weeks per academic year. Over the course of primary and secondary education, this can result in a significant reduction in educational attainment, highlighting the importance of the county's sanitary towel distribution programme.