Loice Mghoi is 19 years old and attends Theta Secondary School in Kiambu County, Kenya. Her story shows how safe spaces, mentorship, and a simple, girl-led support system helped her regain confidence and stay focused on school.

For Loice, the worry was constant and practical. When her family could not afford sanitary towels, she felt exposed and vulnerable at school. She says she began relying on others for help, and what started as borrowing soon came with pressure that left her feeling trapped.

When she finally shared what was happening, teachers at her school connected her to a safe learning space run through the Pan-African Adolescent Girls’ Movement, implemented in Kenya with the Forum for African Women Educationalists Kenya Chapter (FAWE Kenya). In that space, girls could speak openly, learn life skills and access support, including donated sanitary towels.

Loice describes the change in simple terms: “This platform changed my life completely. It restored my dignity, gave me confidence, and helped me focus on my education instead of daily struggles.”

Her experience also sits within a wider shift led by girls themselves. In 2025, girls in the Movement’s learning spaces designed a practical response to menstrual health barriers through an Innovation Challenge. The winning idea, “Dignity for Every Girl,” established a sanitary bank where girls can access pads when needed and a mentorship desk where they can seek guidance safely and discreetly. Girls also invited a community health promoter to lead menstrual hygiene talks and mobilised donation drives to keep supplies flowing.

That kind of support matters because it keeps girls in class and helps reduce the stigma that can quietly push them out. In 2025, the Forum for African Women Educationalists Kenya Chapter implemented the Movement in Narok, Kiambu, and Elgeyo Marakwet, reaching 942 girls through a mix of learning sessions, mentorship, community outreach, innovation activities, and girls’ leadership platforms. Community outreach activities also reached an estimated 250 girls beyond the learning sessions across the five modules.

Loice’s story reflects a practical shift: a girl who once felt trapped finds support, regains confidence, and stays focused on her education, while other girls build a solution that helps the next girl sooner.