BY FRANCES ALEXANDER

A simple commodity like sanitary napkins is considered in the United States to be an inexpensive necessity that women would hardly think to go without. In Kenya, Donald G. McNeil Jr wrote in a NYTimes article, the location where these school girls reside, they are so expensive and rare that few dream of such a luxury. Most Kenyan families simply cannot afford to purchase a box of pads because it costs roughly the same price as a bag of flour, an indispensable item for any family. Therefore, what comes to happen is Kenyan school girls going without what should be available to them without limitation are having to actually miss school due to discomfort, embarrassment and sexual vulnerability. These girls are actually put at a risk when they attend school, clearly marked by their condition, because males notice and pressure them for sex. What is most unfortunate about this is not the mere loss of a comfort during a period that would otherwise be very uncomfortable, but their inability to pay for such an item causes serious problems such as infection, disease, and AIDS. The fact that males seduce the girls more vigorously when they’re noticeably ovulating in turn helps advance the rampant spread of AIDS in African countries. The disease itself causes tragedies worse than death, such as orphaned infants and broken families. Hence, the seemingly trivial problem of a lack of disposable sanitary napkins becomes quite grave, and can contribute to some of the most serious problems plaguing Africa currently.

Fortunately, an initiative undertaken by several organizations, all of which share the spirit of Global Engagement Summit, has developed a creative and immensely beneficial solution: washable and reusable sanitary napkins, in addition to safe sex kits. This simple kit could transform the educational experiences of teenage girls and could greatly help prevent sickness, infection, unsafe sex and AIDS. This initiative merges with that of the microfinance initiative of Amerishare, which aims to help young girls pay for these kits by giving them loans. The compassion and ingenuity of these organizations should be applauded, and if done successfully, could provide the key to making large strides toward the progression of suffering African countries.

GES Alum Alice Bator works to create reusable and sustainable sanitary pads through the Kasiisi Project.