Safaricom in Sanitary Kits initiative to Keep Karachuonyo Girls in School

Tuesday, April 5, 2011… Over 5,000 secondary school students from Karachuonyo Constituency in Nyanza will benefit from a year's supply of sanitary towels following a contribution from, integrated telecoms firm Safaricom.

At a cost of Sh2.1 million, Safaricom will supply the girls' drawn from secondary schools in the entire constituency with the crucial kits. Over 40 schools stand to benefit from the initiative.

To demonstrate the extent of the problem, some female students have in the past had to miss classes, sometimes for a whole week every month, a situation that prompted area Member of Parliament Eng. James Rege to approach Safaricom sponsorship unit for assistance.

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore, while presiding over the distribution of the kits at Ogenya Girls Secondary and Kendu Muslim Schools, said the company was committed to partnering with Kenyan communities in initiatives targeted at development and education was a key plank of its mandate.

"Safaricom believes in empowering communities. We realize that this can only be achieved if we ensure adequate education and good healthcare for our youth. We are particularly proud to be involved in this initiative," said Mr. Collymore.

Sanitary towels are often out of reach for many young girls and their families in rural Kenya given their relatively high prices and this makes them absent themselves from school, sometimes for as long as one week.
Also scheduled to benefit from the sanitary kits donation are a number of special schools in the constituency.

Safaricom, through its sponsorship function has over the years partnered with organizations across the country in distributing sanitary kits aimed at keeping girls in school and improving their menstrual health. These efforts have also been supported by the company's long-term corporate giving arm, the Safaricom Foundation.

Apart from health, the company is also involved in corporate giving projects and initiatives in other sectors among them sports, culture, environmental conservation and water all over Kenya.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011… Over 5,000 secondary school students from Karachuonyo Constituency in Nyanza will benefit from a year's supply of sanitary towels following a contribution from, integrated telecoms firm Safaricom.

At a cost of Sh2.1 million, Safaricom will supply the girls' drawn from secondary schools in the entire constituency with the crucial kits. Over 40 schools stand to benefit from the initiative.

To demonstrate the extent of the problem, some female students have in the past had to miss classes, sometimes for a whole week every month, a situation that prompted area Member of Parliament Eng. James Rege to approach Safaricom sponsorship unit for assistance.

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore, while presiding over the distribution of the kits at Ogenya Girls Secondary and Kendu Muslim Schools, said the company was committed to partnering with Kenyan communities in initiatives targeted at development and education was a key plank of its mandate.

"Safaricom believes in empowering communities. We realize that this can only be achieved if we ensure adequate education and good healthcare for our youth. We are particularly proud to be involved in this initiative," said Mr. Collymore.

Sanitary towels are often out of reach for many young girls and their families in rural Kenya given their relatively high prices and this makes them absent themselves from school, sometimes for as long as one week.
Also scheduled to benefit from the sanitary kits donation are a number of special schools in the constituency.

Safaricom, through its sponsorship function has over the years partnered with organizations across the country in distributing sanitary kits aimed at keeping girls in school and improving their menstrual health. These efforts have also been supported by the company's long-term corporate giving arm, the Safaricom Foundation.

Apart from health, the company is also involved in corporate giving projects and initiatives in other sectors among them sports, culture, environmental conservation and water all over Kenya.