Her father, who was averse to taking her to school in the first place, wonders if she is a ‘worthwhile investment’. Achieng from Kibera is faced with the difficult choice every month between food for her seven children and sanitary pads for herself. James says he would rather buy condoms than contend with the shame of buying sanitary pads for his girlfriend at his local kiosk. On any given day, more than 800 million girls and women between the ages of 15 and 49 are menstruating. Yet, conversations around menstruation are shrouded in shame and secrecy, with only 50 per cent of girls saying they openly discuss menstruation at home.

Source: The Star May 28, 2020 17:37 UTC