Community Health Programme

Overview

In May 2025, Moving Mountains launched a Menstrual Hygiene Management initiative in Kirimari Ward, Embu County, to tackle a major barrier to girls’ education. A lack of affordable sanitary products and persistent cultural stigma frequently force girls to miss school or withdraw from classes out of fear of teasing. To combat this, we partnered with the local county government to distribute 840 packs of sanitary towels. This critical project initially reached 677 vulnerable young women aged 9 to 16 across County, Urban, and Gatwe Primary and Secondary Schools, Dallas Primary School, St Monica School for Special Needs and several young, low-income mothers at our Rescue Centre.

Recognising that pads must go hand-in-hand with education, we worked with school guidance counsellors to deliver health and hygiene sessions. This approach successfully reduced absenteeism and restored academic confidence and dignity to the students. Because government supplies remain irregular, a continuous, reliable supply is essential. By the end of March 2026, nearly 1,500 young women were benefiting directly from this programme, which has since expanded to provide dental hygiene products, soap, and underwear for both boys and girls.

The project is managed by Beatrice Muthoni, who was one of the original kids that we supported back in the late nineties, and along with a team of volunteers Beatrice travels around schools and community centres to distribute these vital supplies and speak with the girls about their lives, health, education and their aspirations.

Between April and June 2026 alone, our community volunteers and teaching staff distributed the following;
• 6,360 packets of sanitary towels
• 2,920 pieces of toothbrushes & 2,920 tubes of toothpaste
• 1,595 pairs of girls’ pants
• 1,085 pairs of boys’ boxers