Menstruation Problems in Kenya – Persuasive Letter

Imagine starting your period and not being able to access pads or tampons. Countless girls in Kenya are unable to access or afford menstruation products due to lack of education, money, or supply. As a girl I understand the needs for feminine hygiene products and I believe all girls should be able to have access to these things because without them it's hard to do everyday actions. Although health companies don’t focus on feminine hygiene, women have poor quality and can’t afford the proper products, girls should be taught about how to be clean and healthy with periods.

People don’t think to talk about how sad this topic is versus other problems in 3rd world countries because it's uncomfortable to talk about around the world. Based on a study conducted by UNICEF they collected information on what women and girls know about periods in different areas like “in Iran 48% of girls think that menstruation is a disease” (Eleanor). In India “girls are told that periods “pollute” food” (Eleanor). In Afghanistan “girls are told if you shower during menstruation that you could become infertile” (Eleanor). All these facts seem obvious to be wrong but girls and women around the world have no idea how insane these facts sound. A UNESCO report estimates that “young woman misses 20% of a given school year,” in Ghana just because of menstruation(Oni). If we aren’t comfortable to talk about periods we can talk about how much school girls are missing because of periods therefore makes periods a reason for many other problems that globally are happening with girls. Some countries see problems and want to make a difference like “the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and Transformation Textiles to help vulnerable women and girls living in refugee camps and settlements in Northern Kenya gain the knowledge and tools to safely and consistently manage their monthly periods” (“Menstrual Hygiene...”). If a country like Norway can help Kenya so can America and there is always more to be fixed and improved.

Many countries around the world have some issue with menstruation and starting with Kenya, which has a lot of problems, can just start the movement of helping with it all around the world. On average a box of pads costs 500 Kenya shillings which equals about $5(“Sanitary Towels...”). Five dollars might seem like nothing, but Guardian interviewed Angela Lagat, chief brand marketing officer and she said “‘When people earn less than two bucks a day, is a family going to [get] bread, milk and food, or a girl’s sanitary pads?” (Higgins). Money is very valuable and of course the first thing it's going to go to is feeding your family and keeping them alive rather than buying pads for your daughter. Nearly 50% of people “Nearly half of Kenya households earn less than Sh10,000 per month” (Obura and Frederik). That equals about $100 per month. If a girl uses one box of pad per month that means the parents spend 5% of their monthly earnings on hygiene for menstruation. There are so many things that money can go to and in Kenya values go to surviving not worrying about the amount of education based on periods.

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As a girl I understand the health problems with being able to access tampons and pads. Usually when this happens I can just grab something from a friend or go grab something from the store but in Kenya girls have this problem and there is nothing they can do. When a girl got her first period during school and her friend “organized two boda boda drivers to take them home...on their way, they stopped and handed her friend a small bag, which had a change of pants and some sanitary pads” They did this weekly, but she says “her friend led her into a trap that she now regrets” having to trade sex for sanitary products (Buck and Kate). Most girls get their first period from ages 10-15 and trading sex with drivers at that age means they eliminated all other options of getting pads so it came down to that. Another girl named Michelle Tatu got her first period and she “she stuffed bits of cloth and cotton inside herself to try to stem the bleeding” (Higgins). The girls go to last resources to stop the bleeding and it is unhealthy and not safe.

Although there are women in Kenya who treat menstruation normally, Kenya has a very unique and distorted culture to some young girls and their bodies. Many young girls in Kenya are still getting circumcised. A 14-year-old girl named Kaptul said, “The old woman used a sharp knife that was not sterilized. When I was cut the blood flew. I was terrified because it was not something I chose” (Onyulo). A young girl had something taken away from her for the rest of her life without giving consent. The culture of women is that “women are treated as second-class citizens in Kenya” (“Kenya”). Most of the time when these sorts of problems with women happen there are so many other problems that are more important when women aren’t thought of as very important. Lucy Chenagat, a professional circumciser says that “‘It’s our culture. We cannot live without it. Some of the people who are telling us to stop the practice are already circumcised, and their daughters have been cut. Why shouldn’t they allow others to be cut?’” (Onyulo). Lucy thinks this is normal and what she is doing is totally ok when it's just their culture. There is a difference between culture and rights with women's bodies.

Although helping with this problem could be a lot of money and effort it makes a difference to so many girls in Kenya. There are replacements to pads that women use that are unsanitary and uncomfortable. One girl used animal skin and tied it around her waist, another girl put chicken feathers in her underwear (“Period of Shame”). Why would you hold back and let these girls put themselves in pain with all these unsanitary replacements when you could help them. By helping these girls so much education can be served to them than before because it's not something the girls are afraid of being embarrassed by. I understand that the big thing that you focus on in Sustain Natural is that you believe the health of a women is very important and being careful about what the ingredients are.

I think that on your website there could be a section about donating to girls in Kenya. The company U by Kotex has a section of donations available to women but what is different from theirs to what yours could be is that there's focuses on worldwide donations. But starting simple with one country would be easier and I think people are more willing to support your company because it is big on being natural while U by Kotex puts unknown things in tampons and pads (U by Kotex donate). Just putting a subtle header about donating to girls in Kenya or when someone checks out from ordering something online there can be a question about if the person wants to donate. It doesn’t have to be a big amount of money nut just doing a little could make a big difference. There could also be and option to buy a box for a girl in Kenya. There are many ways to approach the solution but the main part is that there could be something involving donating on the Sustain Natural Website

Girls health is incredibly important and the ways to fund it requires thoughtful consideration. I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this and consider my topic. I hope to try to spread this problem as much as possible, but it would be amazing to have someone like you helping me with this problem.

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