Chase Bank Foundation and ZanaAfrica Group have announced the launch of The NiaNetwork, a mobile application to coordinate national sanitary pad distribution created for ZanaAfrica by Upande Ltd.
The application can be downloaded through the Chase Bank website.
The NiaNetwork is a campaign, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the Girl Child Network, P&G, and others looking to bring greater awareness to the plight of over 800,000 girls who miss 6 weeks of school a year due to lack of sanitary towels.
Chase Bank Foundation provided the means to create this app.
“Partnering with ZanaAfrica ties in to our aspiration of being in the forefront of women empowerment, as women are the core pillarof our society” Duncan Kabui, Chase Bank CEO. This is Chase Bank’s second major online networking endeavor, after their launch of Kilele Planet earlier this year.
Technology allows for new levels of coordination, cooperation, and transparency.
“It is so important that we know what each other is doing,so that we can effectively reach the girls who need our support,” said Mrs. Mukuria, “Through registering distributors, we want to create areal-life network to improve practices in distribution and help girls achieve their purpose. Small things make a difference to girls: do girls actually receive the pads donated to them? Are they provided with the right, appropriate health education?”
ZanaAfrica plans to answer these questions, with stakeholder meetings with partners including: FAWE-Kenya, The Iddi Achieng Trust, HEART, Path Foundation, Sage, Fortress of Hope, and Mash Foundation.
Chase Bank Foundation, ZanaAfrica and Upande are looking to reache over to other donors of sanitary towels – including those distributed through the government tender this year – to have them register so that together they can ensure each girl has the tools she needs to thrive.
Naomi Kinyanjui from Path to Womanhood said, “I am so excited about the launch of the application, it’s going to enable all thosecarrying out distribution of sanitary towels and panties to reduce duplicating efforts in specific areas and schools. In five years to come thelack of sanitary towels should no longer be an issue of discussion but a hurdle Kenyans will have jumped. The application will be one ofthose “best thing since sliced bread” moments… thanks to ZanaAfrica and Chase Bank Foundation for initiating the process!”
The application is compatible with Android-based phones, though will soon expand to others.
Next steps for the application include standardizing distribution methodology, directing donors to the disadvantaged schools, and monitoring the impact of pads on school performance metrics.
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