WHERE THE RED DROP FALLS

There is nothing as embarrassing for a woman or girl like soiling your dress when the red drop comes, more so when ridiculed by the people around her. It's so intense and traumatizing such that we have had girls take ultimate actions to end the embarrassment and distress. In Kenya, in September this year JacKline Chepgno a 14yr old primary school girl, committed suicide by hanging herself with a cloth after being shamed and ridiculed her FEMALE teacher for soiling herself with the RED DROP( https://www.nation.co.ke/counties/bomet/Bomet-girl-kills-self-teacher-hu...)

The RED DROP is natural and as the girl grows older, it would affect their lives if they dont get it in many ways. But the community continues everyday to ridicule the very thing that makes a woman and brings life. It's made to look like God was wrong to create women as they are and it's a gross mistake to be a woman and have the RED DROP. My heart bleeds greatly for Jackline and many other girls like her who have to go though this daily. In fact the act of shaming girls on the RED DROP should be prioritized as a violence against women during the 16 days of activism. Too many girls are dying over something that should be celebrated and appreciated

Sanitary towels are being given to schools, but they are not enough, and even where they are enough there is no sensitization to the girls and the school community on the importance of the red drop, what to do during the RED DROP and how the community can offer support to the girls who may need it during the red drop.

As a community developer and a child rights advocate and defender, I have taken it upon myself to gather girls together in my community and have discussions around the RED DROP and to sensitize the community on what kind of support they can offer the girls. This October the ladies in my church of which I am the Chair, brought together 96 girls for a full day mentorship program. In the process we presented the girls with sanitary towels, re-usable sanitary towels and PANTIES to hold the pads