WEST POKOT COUNTY, 12 September 2025 – The Beyond Zero Initiative, in collaboration with the West Pokot County Department of Health and Sanitation, has distributed menstrual dignity packs to schoolgirls in Kacheliba Sub-County as part of efforts to promote adolescent health and education.
The three-day exercise, which ran from 10–12 September, reached one thousand adolescent girls in ten schools including Losam, Kodera, Kawolok, Napitiro, Kodich AIC, Kodich Catholic, Parasinda, AIC Kaingeny Comprehensive, St. Paul Karon, and Tapadany Primary Schools.
Besides receiving dignity packs, the girls were sensitized on menstrual hygiene and management, personal and general hygiene, handwashing, prevention of communicable and waterborne diseases, as well as sexuality and life skills. They were also encouraged to reject harmful cultural practices such as female genital mutilation, early marriages, and teenage pregnancies, which continue to pose a serious threat to the well-being and future of the community.
Speaking during the exercise, Beyond Zero representative Beatrice Koki emphasized the link between menstrual dignity and education. “We believe no girl should miss school because of a lack of menstrual products. By providing both dignity packs and health education, we are giving these girls the confidence to pursue their education without barriers,” she said.
West Pokot County School Health Coordinator Everlyne Chepkemoi welcomed the collaboration, noting the importance of such interventions in marginalized regions. “This initiative supports our county’s goal of improving adolescent health and reducing school dropout rates among girls. Beyond Zero’s partnership is helping us address not just health but also cultural challenges that hinder our children’s future,” she added.
Since its inception in 2023, Beyond Zero has consistently run this exercise across targeted counties, helping to keep more girls in school and contributing to increased enrolment and retention of girls in education.
The outreach aligns with the Beyond Zero Strategic Plan 2023–2027, which prioritizes menstrual dignity, preventive health education, and community empowerment. By combining distribution with sensitization, the initiative is building a stronger foundation for healthier and more resilient communities.
