Nyando Social Justice Center
Since 2021, Ubinti has partnered with Nyando Social Justice Center and the Nyabende Support Programmes to bring consistent menstrual dignity to girls across Nyando, Miwani, and Nyakach sub-counties in Kisumu County. This collaboration has become a cornerstone of our distribution efforts in the Lake Victoria region, ensuring that hundreds of girls stay in school every month.
A Natural Alliance
Nyando Social Justice Center (www.nyandosocial.org) has long been a beacon of hope in the community, dedicated to promoting human rights and protecting the dignity of vulnerable populations. Through their Nyabende Support Programmes, a community-based organization focused on women and girls’ empowerment, they had already established deep trust and extensive networks in areas where period poverty intersects most severely with economic hardship.
When Ubinti sought partners to ensure dignified, reliable distribution of menstrual products in Nyanza, Nyando Social Justice Center emerged as the ideal collaborator. Their commitment to creating safe environments for women and girls, combined with their focus on health and well- being, aligned perfectly with Ubinti’s mission.
Why This Partnership Works
The Nyabende Support Programmes brought critical assets to the partnership:
Community Trust and Networks
As a grassroots organization working hand-in-hand with local communities and schools in Nyando, Ahero, and surrounding areas, Nyabende has established relationships that enable effective identification of girls most in need.
Focus on Health and Menstrual Hygiene
Nyabende’s existing commitment to addressing health disparities and promoting awareness of menstrual hygiene meant they understood the issue deeply and could distribute products with sensitivity and education.
Women-Led Empowerment Model
Rooted in the belief that women’s empowerment is key to sustainable development, Nyabende approaches menstrual health not as charity but as a fundamental right, ensuring girls receive products with dignity.
Strategic Location
Operating in Nyando, Miwani, and Nyakach sub-counties places them in the heart of rural Nyanza, the region where research has documented some of Kenya’s highest rates of period poverty and school absenteeism.
Impact Since 2021
Since the partnership began, Nyando Social Justice Center and the Nyabende Support Programmes have been instrumental in:
Distributing thousands of Ubinti pad subscriptions to girls across three sub-counties.
Identifying vulnerable girls through their established community networks and school partnership.
Ensuring consistent, monthly delivery that keeps girls in school year-round.
Providing menstrual health education alongside product distribution.
Creating safe spaces where girls can access support without shame or stigma.
The collaboration has proven that sustainable solutions to period poverty require more than products. They require trusted community partners who understand local contexts, maintain long-term relationships, and approach the work with deep respect for the dignity of every girl they serve.
A Model for Community Partnership
What makes this partnership exemplary is its foundation in shared values. Both organizations believe in dignity, equality, and the transformative power of education. Both approach their work not as service providers but as movements of people committed to systemic change.
Nyando Social Justice Center describes itself as more than an organization but as a movement of volunteers who believe in the dignity and equality of all human beings. This philosophy mirrors Ubinti’s own approach to menstrual health as a human rights issue, not merely a product distribution challenge.
As Ubinti continues to expand across Kenya, the Nyando Social Justice Center partnership serves as a model for how community-based organizations can become powerful allies in ending period poverty. Their deep community roots, commitment to women’s empowerment, and focus on sustainable development make them not just distributors but true partners in transformation.
Together, we are proving that when grassroots organizations and social enterprises collaborate with shared purpose, girls don’t just receive pads. They receive dignity, opportunity, and the consistent support they need to pursue their dreams without interruption.