Gender Equality Zimbabwe Project #9448

Teach Zimbabwe Women to Provide Feminine Hygiene

by Days for Girls International

Project Report | Feb 28, 2014
How You Have Helped Girls Stay in School

By Linda Guhza | Days for Girls Zimbabwe Director

Nyadzisayi T. at New Ground

You sent support and Linda Guhza bought flannel for liners and sheeting fabric for the shields. Among the beneficiaries was Mind the Gap, a Zimbabwean nonprofit to help with their ongoing efforts to raise awareness among the girls and to have supplies they need. We also visited Elitsheni women’s group to train more girls in their area.

Lupane: Another bolt of PUL (Polyeurothane Laminate, the special moisture barrier fabric that keeps shields from leaking through) was sent to Lupane as they are progressing very well and they have managed to secure more funding from other NGOs as well and they are currently supporting and training more than 27 schools in the district and training more than 30 women.

At Zvishavane: Mhandamabwe High School more students we supplied pads in Zvishavane are now regularly attending classes even when they are experiencing their monthly periods. We are working very hard to keep sanitation improved in Mhandamabwe High school by providing water facilities and clean washing facilities for the girl’s toilets with the help of the village service chiefs and local member of parliaments. The head teacher at the school where the sanitary pad project is being implemented said, "This makes school, girl friendly, thus reducing the level of absenteeism for the girl child."

A Remind School : As this is a rehabilitation center there are always new girls at the facility all the time and we need to expand and improve our efforts. We are still in the process of assessing whether it will be viable to establish a continuous program at the facility and maybe have a DFG ambassador go there about once a month. Our continuous training and engagement will have a tremendous impact from what we are learning. This year we intend to expand our efforts here.

New Ground: We would like to expand our activities this year by sending 300 pads in Shurugwi district by end of September as we have identified 3 potential schools that are in dire need.We are also treading carefully to engage more schools as new schools keep on requesting our services and training but we have to have the resources for each before committing to them.

Thank you for helping us reach more girls. Please tell others about these important projects. We can reach more with your help.

Sincerely,

Linda

Letter from Nyadzisayi T.

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Dec 2, 2013
The Difference You Have Made in Zimbabwe

By Celeste Mergens | Executive Director Days for Girls International

Aug 29, 2013
Momentum- Counting the Results You Make Possible

By Linda Guhza | Days for Girls Zimbabwe Director

Learning how to make her own kit

Hello from Zimbabwe,

I just returned from being in the field to check on progress with those trained as Ambassadors of Women's Health and also those who have received kits. With elections pending, everything seemed to be on locked or go slow as they say in Zimbabwe. Government offices were closed and all government and private schools were ordered to close because most schools were used as polling stations and most teachers were polling agents\officers but I did what I could to follow up.

Starting with mind the Gap and Umthunzi weThemba where DfG hero Kgotso stays:

They like the pads and they really prefer to use the pads but the greatest challenge there right now is water rationing that's going on in Zimbabwe. (Water can go for 3-4 days and when it comes back its so rationed that the kids at the orphanage are allowed one bucket per child.) Still, Mothers of the homes that we trained and the girls are very happy and still using the pads and they were requesting for supplies especially flannel and PUL to replace their worn out liners. Which is a good sign thst they are using them well. We trained 7 mothers of 7 different orphanages that are being run by Mind the Gap so they can continue the program.

Lupane

Met with Lameck and he had slowed down a bit on training having reached hundreds already) because of Elections because any small gathering could be used against you so he ontinue to train more women and he had interesting stories on how women pay attention to him when he is training especially the hygiene part. The Lupane Women's Center Manager was talking of doing more after the elections.

Remind School

They had lots of new girls and some of the girls we saw last time had gone. The ones present had their kits still and were using them. They were asking if we could establish a continuous program at the facility and maybe have someone go there to present about once a month. They liked our training.

There are so many new places opening up and had so many people calling for help especially High school teachers in Rural areas. Talking on the way forward and l don't know how this is going to happen but we need to set up a office or a room where people can be able to identity us and so we can also be more traceable. There are so many organizations that have started making pads but are doing it the wrong way thst does not work as well and also a bit clumsy Most of them have taken the DFG concept but implementation is different. I returned from the field to find one family member injured so more photos and details to come.

- Linda.

Note from Celeste, DfGI Director: Again and again we see results and expanding numbers, because you share your support. Thank you! Linda took fabric and funding for sewists to make more kits. We'll get more photos and details to you as soon as they come in. PS: Love it when schools wear out their liners... always a good sign. : )

Linda with Lameck, a DfG hero in Lupane

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