Huru and This is L. Bring Menstrual Pads to Girls in Kenya
Every day, we make it our mission to get trustworthy pads into the hands of girls that need them most, but it’s not without help. Huru’s work is supported by the generosity of people all around the world and passionate partners that believe in our mission. One of those wonderful partners happens to be our friends at This is L.
You’ve probably heard us talking about L., but it’s for a good reason. They’re a B. Corp-certified organic menstrual care company that believes that everyone should have access to period products, so it just made sense when our worlds collided in 2017 to do good in East Africa. Since then Huru has been am implementing partner of L’s 1-for-1 model, which makes a period product accessible to someone around the world with each L. purchase. Simply put, when you buy pads from L., you help girls from income-restrained situations access pads from Huru.
Early on in our partnership, L. wasted no time at all making a huge impact. They outfitted Huru’s Nairobi production facility with 50 industrial sewing machines! This gave us the opportunity to expand production of Huru’s pads, panties, and various other products. Plus, it ultimately enabled us to expand the reach of our Skills Development Program which provides job training and sewing and tailoring skills to young women who were forced to discontinue their formal educations.
Thanks to the generosity of L., Huru was able to expand our Skills Development Program which equips young women from low-resource communities with job training and industrial sewing skills.
Huru Youth Facilitator, Faith, leads a This is L.-sponsored distribution in Nairobi.
Mitigating Period Poverty in East Africa
All across Africa (and around the world) girls are restricted by their inability to access period products. Without pads, girls are often forced to miss school since they’re afraid the cloths they’re using (instead of modern products) will cause them to leak through their school uniforms. Girls have told us over and over that they’re unable to concentrate in class because of the fear of embarrassment, and that they tend to prefer to stay home instead of risk it.
“Attending classes when I am on my period is not easy. I hardly concentrate. I have to keep changing the pieces of lessos (cloth) every hour to avoid stains and smell. Keep asking for permission to leave class from a male teacher is another predicament…I tend to have a feeling like everyone knows what is happening. I don’t have peace of mind.”
- Evalyne, 13 years old, Mlolongo
If you ask us, that’s not ok. Girls deserve equal and equitable access to the period products they need to achieve their biggest dreams. So, at the core of everything Huru does is the belief in a just world where no girl or woman is limited by her period. And donors and partners like L. are helping us move towards that goal.
There’s a lot that goes into this work, but we’ll keep it brief for you! First, Huru employs men and women from communities within Nairobi to create period products that are trustworthy, comfortable, and long-lasting because all girls deserve access to pads they can trust. Then, our team works with community leaders and/or school administrators to identify girls that are in most need of the assistance. We work in all different types of settings…from Nairobi’s informal settlements to the zebra-filled plains of Samburu. Wherever they are, girls (and boys, and teachers, and parents) receive sexual and reproductive health information either by in-person small group sessions, or via Huru’s app, Free2, before receiving their Huru Kits containing everything they need to manage their period.
There is always a joyous moment after girls receive their Huru Kits that’s full of giggles.
Accessing Period Products in the Pandemic
Our work had to shift quite a bit at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, plus we pivoted to making face masks since there was such a shortage of them. Schools also closed and we were unable to hold group sessions, which meant we were taking Huru Kits to girls’ homes instead. The major silver lining to this was that our staff had the opportunity to interact with the parents and family members in the home which helps create an even better support system for the girls. We were presented with a variety of obstacles, but we certainly never slowed down because the pandemic made it even more challenging for girls and families to access menstrual pads.
Prior to the pandemic, nearly 4 million girls in Kenya relied on the occasional supply of menstrual products to schools from the Kenyan government. But because schools were closed for most of 2020, girls who previously had access to pads in school were left with little to no options. And even now that schools have reopened, the government itself is experiencing financial strains and has called upon organizations like Huru to assist in the provision of menstrual products to girls. Parents and guardians are also struggling to provide period products to their daughters since so many have lost their jobs. As one mom told us, “You cannot buy sanitary pads if you do not have food.”
Amidst all of the challenges brought on by Covid-19, last spring, L. committed to supporting over 4,570 vulnerable girls in Nairobi and Western Kenya with Huru Kits and sexual and reproductive health education. The response from girls and their families was overwhelming.
Girls attentively listening in at a This is L.-sponsored distribution event in an informal settlement in Nairobi.
The Work on the Ground
By summer 2020, L. committed to helping another 9,501 girls, which will lead to over 15,000 girls being reached with period products since last year. To implement the project, our team has been working within 9 counties across Kenya and coordinating with on-the-ground partners and schools. Huru engages and supports dozens of community-based health facilitators and teaches to identify the most vulnerable girls and help implement the program. These facilitators also underwent training on how to engage parents and destigmatize menstruation in communities to foster supportive environments for adolescent girls.
“There is much mythology around periods, and it dictates the way women and girls are treated. When girls are on their period, they face different problems. Girls aren’t allowed in the kitchen. They are not allowed to touch any fruit or plants. Not being allowed to step into a kitchen means many do not eat properly despite the fact that they are losing blood. They might even be expected to sleep alone, often outside of their parents’ house, until they finished bleeding. I joined Huru as a facilitator to challenge these barriers by distributing sanitary wear and basic sexual education.”
-Lorna Shivanda, Bungoma County Health Facilitator
The communities that were reached were chosen based on the immense need identified by the community workers. In these settings, girls not only lack access to menstrual products, but they also do not have accurate health information available to them. As Lorna mentioned above, because menstrual myths and stigmas are perpetuated in communities, girls are led to believe their periods are shameful, leaving them with no one to talk to about their periods.
That’s why Huru’s sexual and reproductive health curriculum includes destigmatizing periods and helping girls feel comfortable discussing the normal functions of their bodies. For many girls, a Huru distribution is the first time they’ve ever been able to talk about their period with someone. Other important topics that are addressed through our sexual and reproductive health lessons are body autonomy, gender-based violence prevention, and consent which are always critical conversations to have.
The moment after the girls received their Huru Kits.
Good News from the Field
One of our absolute favorite things about this project has been meeting and interacting with the most wonderful girls and community health facilitators. The girls are always so joyful and happy to be receiving their Huru Kits.
“I started my period last year during Covid when on school break. I was home alone. I used pieces of clothes as I had no pads. In the evening, I asked my dad for money for pads, and he said he has no money. Each month I wished my mum was alive. Maybe I could afford a packet of pads each month [with her help]. I’m happy Huru chose to celebrate with us today. I was facing a big challenge, but now it’s in the past. I can now afford a smile every month during my period!”
- Faith, 14 years old, Gatoto Community School Nairobi
Hearing from the girls who have benefitted from this project is a good reminder that something that may seem small, like menstrual pads, can really make all the difference.
Alice is a 12-year-old girl living in one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements — Mukuru.
Alice is 12 years old with an infectious smile. She loves to play soccer and sing and dance.
Currently, she lives with her aunt and uncle and their children because her parents could not afford her basic needs or school fees. Thankfully, her aunt and uncle are very encouraging of her schooling and pay for her books, pens, uniform, and school fees. They always tell her that she must read and study hard in school so she can get a good education.
When Alice has her period, she gets really nervous. Sometimes, her aunt is able to afford some pads, but other times, she asks her teacher, neighbors, and friends for pads. When she’s unable to get pads for her period, she usually uses a handkerchief. But when she has to go to school like this…she just sits at her desk all day. She’s worried that if she gets up and walks, the handkerchief may fall out of her skirt and then her classmates will make fun of her. “I don’t perform well in school during my period, because I don’t come every day when I don’t have pads. I just prefer to stay at home when I don’t have them. I feel very bad about this because then I am unable to finish my work, and I am missing the lessons.”
When Alice grows up, she wants to be a teacher and help students who can’t afford their fees. And now that she has pads she needs to comfortably stay in school, she’s better equipped to reach her goals. “Thank you all for giving us the sanitary pads because I didn’t have them before. Thank you for coming.”
Haynary is 13 years old and tells us that she has “generosity inside of” her. And it’s true — it radiates off of her!
Haynary has the pads she needs to chase her dreams
Like many 13-year-old girls, Haynary wants to be famous. But she also wants to be an entrepreneur because she “wants to run a serious business.” She wants to join one of the best high schools in Kenya and then join a well-known university. Because she says that a better school gives her a greater chance at a successful future.
Unfortunately, her period has made it hard for her to focus in school. She doesn’t always have access to pads, and her period tends to surprise her since she didn’t know how to track it. A few months ago, she started her period in school. She didn’t have any pads to use, but she certainly didn’t want to leave school and miss out on class. So she wore a long jacket the entire day to cover her waist, despite it being quite hot and uncomfortable.
But with L.’s support, Huru came to Haynary’s school and gave her and her classmates Huru Kits. “Today, I learned about these new pads. It’s just fantastic! I learned how to take care of myself. I didn’t know that I could even use a pad for 4-8 hours. I find it very impressive!”
We were so overjoyed to see Haynary that excited about her new pads, and we know she’s definitely going to make her dreams come true because as she told us, “Education is a very important thing…it changes your life. Education is the key to future success.”
With L.’s support, over 115,000 pads have been distributed to girls like Haynary and Alice in low-resource communities across Kenya since spring of 2020 alone.
We’re excited to continue working together with L. to advocate for girls’ health, education, and opportunity by providing access to the high-quality menstrual products, skills training, and sexual and reproductive health information they deserve.
