Kenya Connect is one of our strongest partners. They've been working in Wamunyu and the surrounding communities of rural Machakos County for years. Every time we've funded them, they've delivered on time with clear, honest reporting.

In 2025, we backed their WingsPoa programme to produce and distribute reusable menstrual health kits to schoolgirls. 1,100 girls across rural schools received kits, along with menstrual health training. Production was handled locally by a team of women called the "LitMums", who sew the kits themselves. The work and the income stay in the community.

Why we're going further

Period poverty is still one of the most practical barriers keeping girls out of school in rural Kenya. When families can't afford menstrual products, girls miss days of learning each month or resort to unsafe alternatives. It's a solvable problem, and the 2025 phase proved that Kenya Connect can solve it at scale.

This follow-on phase builds on that foundation. It's not a new experiment. It's a proven programme reaching more girls.

What follow-on grants will achieve

• 1,300 kits for 25 schools: Production and distribution of 1,300 reusable menstrual health kits to schoolgirls, timed to the school calendar so they arrive when they're needed most.

• Education alongside every distribution Menstrual health sessions for girls and boys at each school, covering safe use, kit care, and stigma reduction.

• Building local sustainability Training for 6 women in sewing machine maintenance and repair, so production doesn't stall when something breaks. This is a small investment that protects the whole programme's continuity.

How we'll measure impact

Output: 1,300 kits distributed across 25 schools by September 2026.

Outcome: Reduction in school absenteeism during menstruation among girls who received kits, measured through follow-up surveys at three and six months after distribution.