Gen Z on a mission: 22-year-old’s initiative disrupting period poverty, one pad bank at a time
What you need to know:
- Joy, a social work student, founded Zahara Initiative in 2021 after witnessing period poverty in rural Kenyan schools.
- Through innovative "pad banks" in public schools and awareness campaigns, she aims to increase access to menstrual hygiene products, promote menstrual equity, and break the stigma surrounding menstruation.
In 2021, Joy Kinoti, then a 22-year-old student at Meru National Polytechnic, embarked on a learning expedition to rural schools that brought her face to face with the harsh reality of period poverty.
A social worker by training, Joy resolved to take action to keep girls in class during their menstrual periods, leading her to found the Zahara Initiative.
"Zahara Initiative was founded to address the critical yet often overlooked issue of menstrual hygiene management," Joy explains. "It was heart-breaking for me to learn that some girls compromised their safety to obtain sanitary pads, leading to a rise in teenage pregnancies in Meru."
This year, Kenya marked Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28, under the theme 'Making Kenya Period-Friendly,' underscoring the need for women and girls to manage menstruation safely and with dignity. Joy's initiative aligns perfectly with this goal.
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"The stark reality that something as natural as menstruation could hinder a girl's education and future, and even jeopardize her safety, inspired the creation of Zahara Initiative to provide sustainable solutions," Joy elaborates.
In February 2024, the initiative launched an innovative program dubbed the 'pad bank' or 'pad dispenser' in public schools, aimed at increasing access to menstrual hygiene products for needy girls. It is designed to address emergencies and secure the girls' dignity when they experience their menses.
The initiative brings together 71 volunteers who contribute sanitary pads that are then given to girls. Joy also sources the pads from well-wishers and corporates.
"The organisation has been distributing up to five packets of sanitary pads to each girl, which last around five months," Joy explains.
"However, once these supplies run out, many girls revert to using rags or may engage in transactional sex to obtain more pads. The pad banks are meant to provide a continuous and reliable supply of menstrual hygiene products."
Consistent supply
According to Joy, the program is also intended to promote menstrual equity and support the health and dignity of all students.
"Our pad banks are refilled regularly to ensure a consistent supply of sanitary pads for students. Each dispenser is restocked at least once a month throughout the school term, guaranteeing that the girls have uninterrupted access to menstrual hygiene products."
Beyond promoting menstrual hygiene management, Zahara Initiative also seeks to reduce the stigma associated with menstruation. Joy acknowledges that a lot of awareness is needed to end the tradition of treating menstruation as a taboo.
"We conduct awareness campaigns in schools and communities to educate girls about menstrual health and break the stigma surrounding menstruation. This awareness is critical to ensuring girls are not stigmatised," she says.
Joy has called on the government to enhance resource allocation for the implementation of the Menstrual Hygiene Management policy through support for schools and making menstrual products more accessible.
"The government can provide free sanitary pads in schools, incorporate menstrual health education into the school curriculum, and ensure that schools have proper sanitation facilities," she suggests.
"Policy interventions could also include tax exemptions on sanitary products to make them more affordable."
The Menstrual Hygiene Management Policy 2019-2030 seeks to address menstrual stigma, promote safe and hygienic management of menstruation, and ensure the safe disposal of used menstrual materials and products.
