Stakeholders Urge Balanced Support To Address Boy-Child Welfare Gaps

By Elijah Cherutich

Government and non-state actors have been urged to address the welfare of boys in schools even as programmes supporting girls’ menstrual hygiene continue.

Speakers at Miti Mingi Junior School in Nakuru said interventions must be inclusive to avoid disparities in access to quality education.

Sally Kamau, Project Manager for FREEDOM FOR GIRLS at Africa HEART Foundation, said lack of basic support during puberty lowers learners’ self-esteem and affects academic performance.

She said providing girls with a comprehensive hygiene package for the entire year helps prevent absenteeism during menstruation.

“She will sit down during all her school days because of this support, hence ensuring that they concentrate on their learning perfectly,” she said.

Kamau said the foundation has partnered with the Rotary Club of Nakuru, Rotary Club of Geneva Lake West and Rotary Club of Great Rift Valley, among other well-wishers, to support vulnerable girls.

She called on government agencies and non-state actors to complement such efforts to ensure learners remain in school and keep up with the curriculum.

Eliud Mwangi Gachoki, headteacher of Miti Mingi Junior School, said semi-arid conditions and water shortages make it harder for girls to maintain hygiene during menstruation.

However, he said boys also require attention from stakeholders to meet essential needs and focus on their studies.

Mwangi said many support programmes focus heavily on girls, leaving boys feeling neglected.

“These boys who are not given much attention feel that the society is not concerned with their needs hence struggle a lot to meet by themselves and hence waste a lot of time looking for resources to do it. In the long run, they fail to concentrate on their education,” he said.

At Miti Mingi Secondary School, Principal Kabiru Mararao said the emphasis on the girl-child has overshadowed challenges facing boys from vulnerable backgrounds.

He praised Africa HEART Foundation for recognising the gap and extending support to boys.

“This should be the trend where the organization is supporting girls. There should be realization that boys also have their own challenges and thus should not be left behind,” he said.

Mararao said societal expectations in a patriarchal setting often push boys to fend for themselves at a young age, increasing the risk of child labour.

He warned that such pressure exposes boys to negative influences, including drug abuse and illicit brews, which undermine education.

“This boy was supposed to be doing some private study at home and because of the pressure to provide for their basic items, finds themselves working for money,” he said.

Kamau said the foundation is piloting a hygiene support package for boys to ensure they are comfortable and able to focus on learning.