GRADE 7 female pupils at Chisaira Primary School in Chikomba East constituency were left with smiles on their faces after a well-wisher donated re-usable sanitary pads to alleviate hygiene challenges faced by young pubescent females.
BY OWN CORREPSONDENT
The girls could not hide their joy as some of them were reportedly using old clothes as sanitary pads.
Speaking during a hand-over ceremony held at the school, Forbes Chikobvu, director of Reaction of Orphans Support Association (Rosa), said he was touched by the plight of the young girls after getting reports that some of them were missing lessons over the issue.
“It is a pity that parents cannot afford to buy sanitary pads for their children due to the harsh economic environment resulting in the girls employing other tactics like using old tattered clothes and cotton wool as pads,” he said.
Chikobvu said they decided to donate re-usable sanitary pads as they were cheaper and more durable.
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Re-usable pads are locally manufactured washable pads that can be used up to 18 months.
According to a 2015 survey, 67% of rural girls and women use rags, cow dung, newspapers and leaves to stem menstruation flow because they cannot access sanitary pads.
The survey also revealed that about 20% of rural girls do not report to school while menstruating.
Meanwhile, a number of pupils received full sets of uniforms and stationery while the school received new desks.
“I had to give all the pupils without uniforms some sets so that they won’t feel out of place when at school. I challenge other people outside there to look back where they came from and assist the children in need. Government introduced a new curriculum and there is need for people to support the schools and empower the pupils for the implementation of the programme,” Chikobvu said.
The school headmaster, Richard Chikunguru, said he was grateful for the donations.
“We are happy with the donations. Our children have a lot of problems, but no one had ever come forward to assist them. So this intervention will open the minds of others out there who in future will emulate such generosity,” he said.
Rosa has been involved in a number of community development projects in Chikomba East that has seen locals benefiting in different projects like animal rearing, soap-making and drilling boreholes.