LODWAR— More than 2,800 girls and young women in Kakuma Refugee Camp and surrounding host communities are set to benefit from reusable menstrual health kits in a new programme targeting period poverty and school absenteeism.
The Turkana County Government, in partnership with Days for Girls Kenya, will distribute 2,826 washable menstrual health kits alongside menstrual health education between now and December.
The initiative targets girls and young women from both refugee and host communities, with the organisers seeking to improve menstrual hygiene while reducing health risks associated with the use of unhygienic materials.
Speaking during a stakeholder meeting with Days for Girls Kenya in Lodwar on August 31, 2026, Turkana Deputy Governor Dr John Erus said the programme would help address challenges that continue to affect vulnerable girls.
Dr Erus also called for strict adherence to national guidelines on menstrual health education and directed Days for Girls Kenya to engage the County Directorate of Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation to have its activities captured in KIMIS, the county’s information management system for development partners working in the refugee setting.
“The programme will address period poverty, school absenteeism and reproductive health risks among some of our most vulnerable learners,” Dr Erus said.
Under the distribution plan, 1,130 kits, representing 40 per cent of the total, will be distributed through schools, while 1,696 kits will reach beneficiaries through health facilities and community-level interventions.
Days for Girls Kenya Project Manager Annete Muchendiza said the programme would combine provision of menstrual products with education to help create a supportive environment for girls.
“It is our belief that the programme will help create a period-positive environment, not only in our schools but also in communities, especially those in the refugee setting at Kakuma and Kalobeyei,” Muchendiza said.
She said the programme would also involve men and boys in menstrual health discussions to encourage greater support for girls and young women.
Muchendiza said distributing the kits through schools and health facilities would enable the programme to reach both school-going and out-of-school girls.
“The inclusion of schools and health facilities was intentional, to capture both school-going and out-of-school girls and reduce the risk of infection arising from the use of unhygienic materials,” she said.
Before the rollout, Days for Girls Kenya will conduct stakeholder meetings at sub-county level across Turkana West to prepare communities and institutions for the programme.
The initiative comes a month after the County Government and Days for Girls Kenya signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at improving menstrual and postpartum health outcomes in the region.
Days for Girls Kenya has previously implemented menstrual health advocacy programmes in Turkana through local implementing partners. The latest programme marks a direct partnership between the organisation and the County Government.
