KUALA LUMPUR: Kotex Malaysia is donating 600,000 sanitary pad kits over a period of three years until 2026 to benefit female students in 1,080 schools nationwide.

Kimberly-Clark managing director Lim Yu Chien said the contribution comprises various sanitary pads and educational materials to support the “Program Kasih Remaja: Advokasi SRH (Sexual and Reproductive Health)” by the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), in collaboration with Kotex Malaysia.

“This is a commitment we made with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

“It is a three-year programme involving various government agencies, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and the private sector, in line with the National Reproductive Health Education and Social (Pekerti) Policy and Action Plan 2022-2025 to spread reproductive and social health education to teenagers throughout the country.

“These kits will be given to schools nationwide, and so far 98,000 teenage girls have received these donations; we are aiming for 200,000 people to receive this benefit by the end of this year,” he said at a press conference in conjunction with the launch of the programme at the International Youth Centre in Cheras here Thursday (June 27).

The programme was officiated by Bandar Tun Razak MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, with Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri also present.

A total of 500 students from 10 schools in the Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary constituency attended the event too.

Meanwhile, Lim said the initiative is also aimed at giving a clearer menstrual education for teenagers

“Kotex Malaysia has produced two videos on menstrual education and SRH to be shown at schools. We have held discussions with medical experts, educators and women NGO workers on the content of both these educational videos to ensure they (videos) are of good quality as well as appropriate for Malaysian society,” he also said.

Meanwhile, Nancy said the organisation of the programme is important to curb unhealthy symptoms related to children and teenagers.

“Reproductive and social health education needs to be applied because it is seen as lifelong learning that includes biological, social, psychological, spiritual, and cultural aspects that are capable of producing a healthy generation in future,” she said.

Nancy added that her ministry also hopes the programme will open a wider space for collaborations in efforts to benefit the community, especially the target group, in the future. – Bernama