Fighting Period Poverty: Joy Shammah’s Mission to Empower Girls in Busia County

She moves swiftly through the school courtyard, a bright bag slung over her shoulder, filled with supplies that have become as vital as textbooks for the young girls and adolescents awaiting her. 

At just 27, Joy Shammah Ajuang stands out—not only for her youth but for her determination. As she hands out sanitary towels and speaks to the girls, her voice is calm yet firm, carrying the reassurance that comes from understanding their struggles firsthand.

This is her mission, her calling: advocating for menstrual hygiene and reproductive health to break the cycle of period poverty in Busia County’s rural schools, keep girls in school, reduce teenage pregnancies, and improve the well-being of women in her community.

However, Joy’s journey as a young founder in a deeply patriarchal society has not been easy. She faces societal skepticism daily, especially in a field where youth leadership is rarely embraced. In a community that often dismisses young women in health and social advocacy roles, Joy’s efforts are sometimes met with doubt. 

Her age and gender lead some to question her capability and commitment. By stepping into a leadership role in public health, Joy pushes against long standing stereotypes and challenges norms that typically don’t see young women as effective leaders.

In addition to facing skepticism, Joy has had to navigate complex relationships with local leaders. Some view her initiatives through a political lens, suspecting that she is in the field for personal gain or political mileage. This perception has created a tense dynamic, limiting collaboration with certain leaders whose support could greatly amplify her impact. Despite these misunderstandings, Joy remains steadfast, committed to her mission of uplifting Busia’s young girls and women.

As the executive director of Footprints of Hope, a community organization she founded three years ago, Joy has dedicated herself to restoring dignity for young girls in Busia County. 

Through this organization, Joy and her team actively address menstrual hygiene needs and provide access to sanitary pads to prevent "period shame" and protect young girls from exploitation. In communities where sanitary products are unaffordable for many families, girls are often forced to miss school. In some cases, predators have exploited this need, offering pads in exchange for favors—a heartbreaking reality Joy is determined to change.

Joy’s organization regularly visits schools, community meetings, and churches to educate girls about menstrual health and advocate for safe practices. 

According to AMREF, 65% of women and girls in Kenya cannot afford sanitary pads, and only 50% of girls feel comfortable discussing menstruation at home. 

Furthermore, AMREF’s statistics reveal that two out of three pad users in rural Kenya receive them from sexual partners, and one in four girls does not associate menstruation with pregnancy. These figures highlight how menstrual hygiene management is tied to broader issues of gender inequity and health risks.

The challenges extend beyond just access to sanitary products. According to the Ministry of Education, girls from low-income families miss up to 20% of school days annually due to lack of sanitary towels. This absenteeism can add up: a girl who misses four days each month loses 39 learning days in a year, equivalent to six weeks of school. Over three years in primary school, this adds up to 18 lost learning weeks. In high school, girls can lose nearly 24 weeks of learning over four years—equivalent to almost half a school year.

Joy's work tackles these obstacles, yet her organization faces its own resource constraints. Running a community-based organization like Footprints of Hope comes with significant logistical and financial challenges. With limited funding, Joy and her team struggle to meet the demand for menstrual health and economic empowerment programs in the community. 

Her small, dedicated team of volunteers is often overstretched and lacks the training needed to fully address the vast needs they encounter. This shortfall underscores the need for capacity building to equip her volunteers with essential skills.

Despite these challenges, Joy continues to push forward. During a recent graduation ceremony hosted by Footprints of Hope, Joy celebrated with women who completed business development training, empowering them with the skills needed for economic independence. 

Celebrations during the graduation hosted by Footprints of Hope 

For Joy, this ceremony was more than a milestone—it was a testament to the resilience of the women and girls she serves and a reminder of the progress that can be achieved, even with limited resources.

"Addressing the challenges faced by girls requires collaboration between youth, parents, community leaders, religious institutions, government agencies, and local organizations,” Joy explained. 

She emphasizes the importance of a collective approach, understanding that true change requires unity and shared responsibility.

Local organizations, including Footprints of Hope, are working alongside government initiatives and other community groups to address period poverty and reduce teenage pregnancies. 

Menstrual hygiene advocates, such as USAID’s Western Kenya Sanitation Project, promote a “collective responsibility” model, encouraging businesses and stakeholders to ensure that menstrual products are accessible and affordable. 

Neville Okwaro, the project’s Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) lead, states, “Our goal is a world where no girl has to choose between food and menstrual products.”

Public Health Officer Joseph Oprong echoes this sentiment, urging men to be allies by purchasing sanitary pads for their families. 

“We want to ensure that menstruation is understood as a normal biological function, not something to be stigmatized,” he says.

As Busia County Medical Services Director Dr. Janerose Ambuchi shared, the issue of teen pregnancy remains pressing, with 18% of girls aged 10 to 19 becoming mothers each year. 

"We see cases of school dropouts and exploitation, especially by boda boda operators who manipulate vulnerable girls," Dr. Ambuchi notes. 

The continued efforts of local organizations like Footprints of Hope are crucial in combating these challenges and shifting societal attitudes.

Joy’s story and work reflect a larger movement across Busia County—a movement advocating for dignity, safety, and opportunity for girls and women. Through her work, she continues to challenge stereotypes, foster resilience, and offer hope to young women in her community. 

Despite the obstacles, she remains resolute, knowing that each pad distributed, each conversation held, and each girl empowered brings her community one step closer to a brighter, more equitable future.

"My hope is for a future where no girl has to choose between her education and her dignity,” Joy says.