- Rachael said the government is also committed to ensuring that all children across the country attend school as their constitutional rights.
- She said women economic empowerment is key for development and growth of communities and the nation at large.
Image: HANDOUT
First Lady Rachel Ruto has acknowledged the fact that there are many girls who don’t go to school since they don’t have sanitary towels.
Rachel said her office, under through ‘Mama Doing Good’ initiative, was doing its best to support women and the girl child, including through provision of the basic commodity.
“There are many girls who don’t go to school because they don’t have sanitary towels, that has been the story especially of those in ASAL (arid and semi-arid) areas,”Rachel said.
She spoke when she presided over Sunda International Kenya's official groundbreaking ceremony for softcare sanitary pads and diaper factory in Athi River, Machakos county, on Thursday.
Rachel lauded the company for supporting girl child education through free sanitary towels donation.
“We are grateful that, apart from the distribution and business you are doing, you have a CSR (corporate social responsibility) to help our girls,” The First Lady said.
Rachel said the government is also committed to ensuring that all children across the country attend school as their constitutional rights.
She said women economic empowerment is key for development and growth of communities and the nation at large.
"The theme of this year's International Women [Day's] month is invest in women, accelerate progress. In line with the theme. We need to give our women and girls opportunities, tools and information for them to thrive and progress."
She said if a girl is educated or women given opportunities, it is not only important to their families, but communities and the country at large.
"By investing in women, it enables more women to become financially included. This not only gives them the power to be economically productive, but also provides dignity which everyone deserves," Rachel said.
Financial inclusion, she said, opens doors for women to take care of their families leading to the much needed transformation which in turn supports prosperity of their communities and the country at large.
She said the new factory's launch aligns with the government's bottom-up economic transformation agenda.
"By boosting manufacturing and supporting local industries, we are paving the way for sustainable economic growth and Kenyans' prosperity.
I am confident that this new factory will not only contribute significantly to our economy, but also stimulate growth in related sectors such as agriculture, particularly cotton farming," Rachel said.
Sunda International Kenya has 1,500 employees, with a majority being female, including those in top leadership.
"The expansion of the factory promises to future amplify this success by trippling production and increasing job opportunities for Kenyans," Rachel said.
She said the government acknowledges and appreciates the company's directors' commitment as investors to the growth and development of the country's economy.
"Your confidence in Kenya speaks volumes and your contribution is valuable. I extend gratitude to the directors for their investments in manufacturing, particularly through their softcare brand of personal care products and tiles," Rachel said.
Sunda International Kenya CEO Tom Li said their expansion meant creating more job opportunities to Kenyans thereby improving livelihoods.
“Sunda has a monthly production capacity of 40 million pieces of dippers, 50 million pieces of sanitary towels, 15 million pieces of wipes and two million pieces of gloves. We have employed 1, 500 staff with 95 percent being Kenyans,” Li said.