Parents told to teach their children menstrual hygiene management freely

 

Pupils of Nyomwaro and Disi Primary schools pose for a group photo together with their teachers, parents and officials from Habitat Humanity Kenya during International Day of Action for Women Health held at Disi Primary school in Nyando Sub-County-Photo By Dickson Odhiambo

By Dickson Odhiambo

May 29, 2024

Parents told to teach their children menstrual hygiene management freely

PARENTS have been told to freely teach their children especially girls on the issue of menstrual hygiene management.

It has emerged that a number of parents are not ready to teach their children on the issue of how to manage themselves hygienically during the menstrual days.

A Community Health Volunteer from Kochogo South in Nyando Sub County John Okuta says teaching menstrual hygiene is very vital and should be a responsibility of the parents, teachers and other stakeholders.

Speaking during the International Day of Action for Women Health held at Disi Primary school in Nyando Sub-County organized by Habitat for Humanity Kenya, Okuta said teaching this at an early age of nine years when most girls begin their monthly periods will help them to fully understand their bodies and health in general in regard to menstrual hygiene management.

“In Menstrual hygiene management, we begin by teaching them the simple human anatomy that makes them understand how their body works especially during the menstrual cycle,” he says.

Okuta says the girls are taught on how to keep their body clean as well as how to keep the environment clean during the menstrual hygiene management.

“We teach them on how to use the sanitary towels when they are experiencing their monthly periods and we also tell them about the two types of sanitary towels namely re-used and disposable ones,” Okuta adds.

Okuta says the issues of stigmatization and culture still remain a challenge on the issue of menstrual hygiene management.

“Many parents still view menstruation as a taboo when the parents note that the child is undergoing the process but we want to tell such parents that this is a biological process taking place within the body of a female,” Okuta further says

Jacinta Atieno, a resident of Koketch Village in Kochogo South Sub-Location has thanked the Habitat for humanity Kenya for supporting the issue of menstrual hygiene management in two schools within the said sub Location in Nyando constituency.

Samwel Kiprop, WASH Coordinator at the Habitat for Humanity Kenya says the organization is implementing a three year program on menstrual hygiene management.

He says the program is being implemented in two schools namely Disi and Nyomwaro Primary schools within Kochogo South in Nyando Sub-County.

He says under the program, there is a room created when a latrine is designed for the two schools and the room is for menstrual hygiene management.

Kiprop says they also provide a dustbin for the safe disposal of the used sanitary towels by the girls in the two schools where the program is being implemented.

He adds that they also train teachers on the issue of menstrual hygiene management and have helped in the formation of clubs dealing with the adolescents on issues of menstrual hygiene management.

The international Day of Women Health advocates for Women’s rights, gender equality, informed choices and safer environments while promoting inclusivity and access to quality care.