Got Odima Primary School

Got Odima is a public mixed primary school located in Siaya County and was the last school we visited. The school has a capacity of about 800 students, a teacher-student ratio of 1:90, and an average class capacity of 90 students. The head teacher was grateful for the pad donation and mentioned that the government supply of 100 pads per month was far too little for their large population. He mentioned that they had to rely on donors or NGOs to maintain this aspect of the girls’ health. 

As with many schools previously, students were relatively well informed about general hygiene, knew many steps to take to maintain proper health, and were receptive to sentiments about general hygiene and public health. It was clear that they knew their role and responsibility for the latter, and we were pleased to see that students brought up public health independently, before we had. 

In terms of mental health, many students were unfamiliar with the subject. We took extra time to make sure they understood this information, considering its importance, and with this extra time our discussion flourished. Despite their unfamiliarity, students felt comfortable opening up and sharing difficult experiences with us and their fellow students. Common issues that were brought up were domestic arguments, a lack of parental involvement, and school-based stresses. We hope that this conversation helped students feel heard and feel more comfortable sharing their experiences with trusted adults or fellow students. 

In support of the school, the team gave out 200 sanitary towels, underwear for the girls, and pencils, among other items. This exhausted our supply of materials for the trip.