THIS IS A CAUSE I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN

There are things l personally believe in. One of those things is being part of helping make this a better world. In that vein of thought, l would like you to read this. If you want to make a change support it.

Appeal to ensure the girl child does not miss school due to menstruation

Across Kenya, the lack of appropriate and adequate sanitary and sanitation facilities prevents many adolescent girls from attending school consistently, especially when they are menstruating. Due to the high cost of sanitary towels which presently stand at Kshs 79 per pack of 7, children from economically disadvantaged families continue to suffer in silence, using unhygienic material like sponges, mattresses, tissue paper and even leaves or avoiding school altogether during their menses. The irony is that, girls do not choose whether or not to get menstruation. This is a natural biological process.

The Girl Child Network (GCN), a network of 312 organizations supporting the rights of the girl child drawn from individuals, local and international organizations in recognition of the gravity of the situation facing adolescent girls, has initiated the Sanitary Towels (ST) Campaign. The aim of this campaign is to mobilize and distribute sanitary towels to 500,000 girls in upper primary schools and secondary schools, all over the country, and to lobby the government to include budget for sanitary wear in the primary and secondary education package.

In a bid to raise funds to meet the project costs, GCN would like to invite your organization to be our media partner and thus make this campaign a reality. The event/campaign will be launched on 6th July 2005 and targets to raise over Kshs.600 million to fund campaign activities which include demystifying menstrual periods through awareness campaigns, advocating for policy change in all sectors of government and distribution of sanitary towels to needy adolescent girls. All major sponsors will be recognized in the mass media and also receive commendation.

A bank account No. 0181799021 titled GCN sanitary towels campaign has been opened at Commercial Bank of Africa, Mamlaka Road Branch. Donations to the fund will, without exception, be ploughed into campaign activities. KPMG will audit the project and a dossier, complete with the detail of activities undertaken and schools supported, availed for scrutiny to all supporting partners and members of public.


The campaign is being spearheaded by the sanitary towels campaign committee and coordinated by Mercy Musomi, co-coordinator, Girl Child Network. Mercy can be contacted at the Girl Child Network, AMREF headquarters, e-mail gcn@girlchildnetwork.net and telephone/fax 604510.

All cheques should be drawn in favor of GCN Sanitary Towels Campaign and addressed to Mercy Musomi, Girl Child Network, Post Office Box Number 2447-00200 city square Nairobi.

For all further information on this program please contact the undersigned.

We look forward to your generous support.

Yours sincerely
Mercy Musomi

National Coordinator
Girl Child Network (GCN)