PILOT Project:  KAPSIGILAI GIRLS SCHOOL - CHEMASE, KENYA

STATUS:  Distributed 5/2013**

KGS is located in KENYA, Nandi County and began in 2008 as a girls’ boarding secondary school. The current enrollment is at 80 girls but we are providing bags/supplies for 100 as enrollment is increasing.   

The harsh terrain and lack of social and economic infrastructure has contributed to low literacy levels. Poverty levels are also high in the area and the region is prone to malaria and cholera.

The girls in this area are given away for marriage at an early age of between 13-16 years old. An education is a proven method for girls to move beyond this polygamist society. 

The school is currently housed in inadequate and semi-permanent classrooms. An old house donated by the community has been converted to the girls dining hall and classroom. There is no running water and sanitation/toilet facilities are inadequate. There is no electricity.

In order to provide quality education and hope for the disadvantaged and vulnerable girls, the school is offering boarding facilities and creating a favorable learning environment. This is expected to raise the graduation rate and allow girls to carry out their required schooling without the fear of being given out or sold into a polygamist marriage.

The tuition fee for a single student for a full year is $250 - which includes staying on the school property in the 'dorm,’ school fees and food.  (Food = rice, beans and corn from the local field.)

We are providing three bags for each girl. 

·     a menstrual bag with supplies:  3 shields, 10 liners, a carry-wet bag and a storage bag, 3 briefs: We have chosen to use disposable/washable briefs, the type used by hospitals. They are ordered through a hospital supply vendor. This will give each girl three briefs in the menstrual bag and the remainder of the briefs will be kept with the matron in the dispensary products.  The dispensary is crucial in that all items must be dispensed and monitored to help prevent friction between the girls.  No one girl is any more privileged than the next and all girls need to come to the matron for supplies beyond what their initial menstrual bag provides. (This also prevents girls selling their products  -- sad but true; desperate lives lead to desperate measures.)

·  a personal bag:   safety pins, various sizes; toothbrush; clothespins; washcloth; a woven bracelet made by local girls here; Ziploc bags 

·   a school bag: pencils, pens, pencil sharpener, colored pencils, paper clips, small journal and a devotional;  

We will also provide some teachers’ supplies: markers, file folders, pens, tape, envelopes, etc.

We are providing basic supplies for a dispensary at the school. misc meds: ibuprofen; allergy; anti-diarrhea; acetaminophen; all-day pain reliever; anti-itch cream; yeast infection treatments; vaginex cream (some girls are already dealing with rashes, etc from using inappropriate methods to catch their flow.)

Some items will be purchased in country while in Kenya and taken to the school:  shampoo (girls primarily shave their heads quite close for hygiene issues), body soap, toothpaste, Dettol (a water disinfectant for bathing water) towels, washcloths, buckets for bathing and laundry, laundry soap, nylon rope/clothesline and clothes pins. 
** Donations are still being accepted for this portion of the project.  For more info on giving, go to the Giving/Support page.

REVIEW:
ITEMS PROVIDED:
100 menstrual kits - which contained a total of:
300 shields; 1000 liners; 100 Mary Bags/carrry-wet bags; 300 washable briefs*;
100 school bags for carrying supplies;
100  Esther Bags for toothbrushes and hygiene items;
100 Deborah Bags for school supplies: pens, pencils, colored pencils, scissors, pencil sharpener, paper clips, erasers, devotional and journal;

Dispensary items:
ibuprofen; allergy tabs; anti-diarrhea tabs; acetaminophen; all-day pain reliever; anti-itch cream; yeast infection treatments; vaginex cream;
*100 extra briefs for replenishing their initial supply as needed will be kept with the medical supplies in the dispensary, administrated by the Matron of the girls.

**Video of this event is on the In The News page of the website; 
other info is posted on the Facebook page.  

Should you or your mission determine to distribute pads/packets, the project and its design/pattern/system concept 
belongs exclusively to It's Our Mission: Period.