Education
A Little Girl Who Didn't Miss School This Month
How a simple packet is helping girls stay in school, learn with dignity, and laugh at the days to come.
“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”
The Hidden Barrier
Every morning at Kimelok Christian School, classrooms fill with children opening exercise books, answering questions, and learning together. Among them is Faith Lasintei, a Grade 6 pupil. But for Faith and other girls her age, something as normal as a monthly period can become a reason to miss several days of school when sanitary products are not available at home.
Missing those days means missing mathematics, reading, assignments, and time with classmates.
When a girl misses school every month, she can easily fall behind.
“When a girl misses school every month, she can easily fall behind,” explains teacher Joan. For a young girl who wants to learn, the problem is not her desire to be in school. Sometimes, she simply does not have what she needs to stay there.
A Discreet Gift
That is why Special Ministries and Helping Kenya Kids created Dignity Packets. These packets are kept available through trusted teachers so girls can quietly take one whenever they need it—without embarrassment, without having to explain themselves, and without going home simply because they have started their period.
It is a small and practical response to a very real need, but for the girls it can mean an entire week of education that is not lost.
I am happy because I can come to school even when I am on my period. I can learn with my friends and I don't have to miss my lessons.
“I am happy because I can come to school even when I am on my period,” Faith says. “I can learn with my friends and I don’t have to miss my lessons.” Her classmate Chantel agrees: “When we have pads, it helps us to stay in school and continue learning. We feel more confident and we are able to participate in class.”
More Than a Packet
A Dignity Packet may seem like a simple gift, but its impact can be much greater. It tells a girl that she does not need to be ashamed of growing up. It tells her that her place in the classroom matters and that her education is worth protecting.
At the end of the school day, Faith and Chantel gather their books and return home just like the other children. They were present. They learned. They participated. And they did not have to miss school because of something that is simply part of being a young woman.
Sometimes hope looks like a new classroom or a new school. And sometimes, hope looks like a Dignity Packet waiting quietly in a teacher's cupboard when a girl needs it most.
About the Author
Mario Kuraki
Mario Kuraki lives in Nairobi, Kenya and works as a freelance writer for the BBC and local news outlets. He lends his interviewing and storytelling skills to Special Ministries / Helping Kenya Kids out of his strong belief in the results he is seeing from this ministry.
Pray With Us
Faith, Chantel, and the Girls of Kimelok Christian School
Pray for Faith, Chantel, and every girl at Kimelok Christian School who depends on Dignity Packets to stay in school. Ask God to protect their dignity, strengthen their confidence, and give them every opportunity to complete their education with joy.
