Adolescent girls rejoice as they receive sanitary wear
When young girls have access to safe and affordable sanitary materials to manage their menstrual cycle, they decrease their risk of infections. The Pad Bank campaign, initiated by the National Family Planning Brand Ambassador, Mrs Adiona Chidzonga has been a success with stakeholders contributing with sanitary wear commodities.
By Lynn Chikuya (ZNFPC Student Intern – University of Zimbabwe)
The ZNFPC Adolescent and Youth Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) youth-friendly department conducted a pad bank campaign distribution at different institutions, targeting young girls in school and out of school. These institutions include For Youth by Youth in Mufakose high density suburb, Budiriro Community Centre and Tariro Youth Center in Hopley community. The distribution was also spread out to institutions of people with disabilities, Danhiko and Emerald Hill School as well as adolescents and young people visiting Fife Avenue Youth Centre in Harare.
In total, 1000 disposable sanitary pads were distributed to a total of 500 girls, with each girl receiving two (2) packets of pads. ZNFPC’s main agenda is to ensure that the girl child has access to decent menstrual period as well as fulfilling one of its objectives that is to inform and educate adolescent girls about reproduction health issues.
The experience was aspiring as ZNFPC members managed to interact with the girls and enquiring which areas they would like to be supported. Issues discussed included the safe disposal of used pads and personal hygiene management. At Danhiko, the Administration Assistant, Mrs Hera Hera showed her utmost appreciation and urged ZNFPC members to conduct sessions with students on adolescent, sexual reproduction health and drug abuse.
At Emerald Hill, Mr Chakanya, the School Head was grateful for the donation however as the pad distribution is to be done on a monthly basis he requested for ZNFPC to consider the girls at primary school level as well. The pad bank campaign was a success and the campaign looks forward to the continuation of the program to reach out to more girls in need of sanitary wear.