Restoring confidence through dignity packs donation to students in Kenya
Partnerships is one of the three pillars of Vivo Energy’s Sustainability Framework. It was the driving force behind a recent donation of dignity packs by Vivo Energy Kenya to students in Shinyalu, Kakamega County, Kenya.
Deepening commitment
A 2016 report by the Foundation Strategy Group (FSG) found that only 65% of women and girls in Kenya could afford sanitary products, while an estimated 20% of students missed classes due to a lack of access to sanitary kits. These statistics have a significant impact on the academic outcomes of adolescent girls in Kenya.
This is why, on the third year of Vivo Energy Kenya’s partnership with the Kakamega Forest Heritage Foundation, a local environmental organisation, our Kenyan team continued to build on their commitment to providing essential ‘Dignity Kits’ to thousands of local students in order to advance a health programme promoting personal hygiene, menstrual health, dignity and school attendance for young learners.
This year, the team donated 4,800 sanitary products and over 2,000 pairs of underwear for girls and boys at an event that took place in Lugala Education Complex, in the West of the country.
Impact of the donation
The Kakamega Forest Heritage Foundation leads a multi-faceted empowerment programme including the distribution of sanitary products and underwear to teenage learners. For more than a decade, the Foundation has partnered with various schools to donate sanitary products to students. Over this time, it has witnessed a significant reduction in absenteeism among teenage girls, contributing to improved academic outcomes as a result.
Since the joint community initiative was launched in 2024, Vivo Energy Kenya and the Kakamega Forest Heritage Foundation have cumulatively distributed more than 10,000 sanitary products and over 4,500 pairs of underwear to adolescent learners in Kenya, alongside essential personal hygiene products including soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes. These donations have helped to build confidence and give teenage learners access to the resources they need to stay in school.
Growth of the dignity packs project
The programme is in line with Vivo Energy’s Sustainability Framework, anchored on our commitment to contributing to positive, sustainable impact in the communities that we serve.
Behind the programme is a commitment to leveraging long-term local partnerships to have an impact: supporting children to stay in school and helping make sure that teenage girls don’t miss out on an education due to a lack of sanitary products.
What began as a small community initiative has grown steadily each year, with the 2026 event reaching 15 schools, an increase from the 11 schools supported in 2025. The expansion reflects the growing impact of the programme and the partners’ commitment to ensuring more learners have the essentials they need to attend school with confidence and dignity.
To find out more about our Sustainability Framework and our core pillars – People, Planet and Partnerships – visit our Sustainability page.