A parent of one of the beneficiaries, Mary Angena said, "I am happy about the Anglican Church in Kenya donating sanitary pads and other items like soap and Vaseline to my 14 yr. old daughter who was defiled by a 40 yr. old man. The man disappeared after defiling my daughter."

16 yr. old Anges Nyadiri said that she is also a victim of sexual abuse who recently benefitted by the donation from the Anglican Church.

"I was sexually abused by our school gateman. He was arrested but I refused to go back to that school. I thank the Anglican Church for the sanitary pads and other items which they gave to me.''

Kenya's Ministry of Health said that last year they received reports of at least 5,000 sexual violence cases across the country, 65 per cent of them involving girls younger than 18.

"It is so encouraging to hear about the work of the church in Kenya showing the love of God and responding in a practical way", Mandy Marshall, Project Director for Gender Justice in the Anglican Communion, said. "Period poverty is a huge issue that can prevent teenage girls in particular skipping school and missing vital education. I encourage all churches do the same.''

Formed in 1997, the Anglican Development Service in Kenya has gone a long way in helping local people especially in issues to do with fighting against poverty. It operates under five thematic areas including climate change, food and nutrition security; universal health care and social protection, organizational development, advocacy and governance.

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