With more attention being given to girls by ensuring they get sanitary pads and other necessities, it has been established that about 75% of boys in schools have been forgotten and do not put on underclothes.
Speaking when she donated underwear to boys, in Lugari Sub County, Ms. Khayanga Wasike, director of a non-governmental organization “Days for Girls” regretted the high number of boys who were walking loose without putting on the underclothes.
She said a study carried out by her organization had revealed that about 75% of boys in primary schools do not have underwear.
“We have come here to share a new change, we felt that the society has left the boy child out because everybody is concentrating on girl child forgetting that girls alone cannot raise a society without the boys and that’s why as an organization we want also to empower boys,” said Khayanga.
She said it was disappointing how the boys were left to walk around with torn shorts without underwear exposing their bodies.
“They are just running around with the torn shorts showing their skin and they just don’t enjoy life. Some of them because their shorts are made with buttons, when the buttons break no one cares because there is no shop that sells a single button for their shorts to be repaired so they go and get sisal strings and tie their shorts so that they can go around and enjoy themselves but the truth is when you peep through there is nothing,” said Ms. Khayanga.
The director said her organization through the Lugari Resource Center’s Workshop based in Musembe sub location in Chekalini ward will make and distribute the underclothes to the boys so that they can have self-esteem and walk around without any problem.
She said Wearing underwear was a hygiene issue and also a way to concretely instill in children the need to protect and value their bodies especially their private parts.
She appealed to the community to take care of both boys and girls so as to build a society that will be very enveloping that they can all enjoy their confidence and everything they need to do in life.
“ I believe parents have this opportunity and responsibility, to teach children personal empowerment to value their bodies, to respect and expect others to respect their bodies, and instill modesty and the importance of keeping certain parts of their body private, safe, and cared for.” She concluded.