By Saliwe Mutetwa-Zakariya | Director
Our report is months late... Our sincere apologies. We have had to go back to the drawing board to find creative ways to get the resources we need to support the vulnerable girls and keep them in school. We are always grateful for the support you give and hopefully we will be able to bring it up to the levels we were before this dry season.
We partnered with Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe and provided dignity kits containing reusable sanitary pads and underwear to 133 girls at Pfumvuti Primary and Secondary Schools in Shamva. These schools are only 115km from the capital Harare but getting there seems like you have stepped into a totally different world. The last 10km of the drive felt like 30km because of the state of the road. It was heart warming to see the smiles of disbelief on the girls' faces because someone had remembered them. We had an unbelievable time, laughing, singing, dancing and talking about all things menstrual health and hygiene. We encouraged them to work hard in school to change the trajectory of their lives, their families and their community.
The Stanbic Bank team shared on their careers and encouraged the girls that they too can achieve whatever they dream of with the hardwork, commitment and discipline that is required. The teachers noted that menstrual hygiene products are a huge problem as the girls miss school on the days they have their periods due to lack of basic hygiene products. As a result their grades are lower than their male counterparts. There are also high drop out rates due to early marriages and teen pregnancies. The visit and the session gave a ray of hope to all the girls present.
Grateful for the support from our local private sector companies. Period poverty is everyone's problem and we all need to take collective action to tackle this issue and give the girls the rights to an education that they so deserve.
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