Municipal Reporter
THE Junior Mayor of Beitbridge Councillor Karen Chikwanda has appealed to the Beitbridge community for sanitary pads donations to be distributed to girl children on October 30.
Cllr Chikwanda made the appeal to different stakeholders gathered at a recent meeting to map ways against Drug and Substance abuse in Beitbridge District.
“We are asking for these donations to give girls dignity and creating a conducive learning enviroment were they are free to be themselves and achieve their dreams irregardless of econominc hardships,” she said.
“These sanitary pads, although most people think tgey are easily accessible, are a rare commodity to some girls. We should understand that monthly periods are a call of nature and not a choice,” she said.
She said the donations can be sent to the Municipality of Beitbridge offices or to her Vhembe High School where she is a Lower Six student and distribution of the same would be October 30 this year.
About 72% of menstruating schoolgirls in rural Zimbabwe cannot afford sanitary products, leading 62% of them to miss school each month.
Many rural families view commercial disposable pads as an unaffordable luxury and due to shortages, girls often resort to using unhygienic materials like old rags, leaves, newspapers, or cow dung, which increases the risk of infections.
Most rural schools, about 70% of them, are said to lack water and soap, and 77% of girls lack private, lockable toilets to change safely during the school day.