Takudzwa Chungadeya
DOMBOSHAVA: ZB Financial Holdings recently extended their cooperate social responsibility to the Domboshava community as they recently donated dignity kits and sanitary pads at Zimbiru Secondary School.
The donation, aimed at supporting students, comes as a relief for many who have struggled with period poverty, especially as families face financial stress worsened by the effects of climate change.
Emilia Mabika, Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at ZB Financial Holdings, spoke at the handover event about the importance of reaching students in underserved communities.
“We are committed to making sure schoolgirls have access to basic sanitary supplies so they can manage their periods and not miss out on school,” Mabika explained.
For students like Garai Marudzi, the impact of the donation goes beyond physical supplies.
“This is a huge relief for us. Our families are struggling with the El Nino induced drought, and buying pads is often a luxury we can’t afford.
“Now we can focus on our education without worrying about missing school every month,” Marudzi said.
Rutendo Macheke, another student at Zimbiru, expressed how the donation helps solve a daily challenge that often goes unnoticed.
“It’s a silent struggle many girls face, and without pads, we have to miss classes. Having these supplies means we can come to school every day and focus on our future,” Macheke said.
According to UNICEF, around 60% of women and girls in rural Zimbabwe don’t have access to adequate menstrual products, which has far reached impacts on their education, health, and confidence.
To address this, organizations like Vheneka/Khanyisa and the Grow Africa Foundation are stepping in, training over 500 women and girls to make reusable sanitary pads.
Similar efforts to support schoolgirls are ongoing in other districts.
Recently, 150 girls at Pote Secondary School in Goromonzi District received dignity kits through support from the Australian Embassy, as shared on social media by Sanitary Aid Zimbabwe Trust.
