Women in Marketing, an arm of Marketers Association of Zimbabwe has donated sanitary wear to about 500 pupils at Jonasi Secondary School and to the Teen Rescue Mission all from Seke in Chitungwiza Harare.

The sanitary pads were raised mainly through a fitness and wellness Fun Day organised by the WIM in March during Women’s Month and some were donated by the Population Services Zimbabwe (PSZ).

The sanitary wear was handed over to pupils at Jonasi Secondary School from Form 1 to A’level by the WIM in conjuction with MAZ.

In a speech at the handover ceremony, MAZ Head Marketing and Operations, Enia Zimunya encouraged the girl child to focus on their academic.

“As Marketers Association of Zimbabwe and Women in Marketing we are saying girls should not be absent from school because they are on their period. 

Because we want a girl who is empowered and educated can excel so we don’t want you to miss school, “said Zimunya.

Zimunya encouraged the pupils to also consider taking up Marketing as a career of choice. 

Zimunya thanked corporates that supported the ‘Donate a pad campaign’ namely Image Magic Corporate , Turbo Baby wear , Proton , Dandemutande , ZimPure and Population Services Zimbabwe.

PSZ Demand Generation Officer Eugenia Five taught the girls the importance of menstrual hygiene.

She shared on various types of sanitary wear, one can use during their menstrual cycle these include, the menstrual cup , re-usable sanitary pads and disposable pads.

She also encouraged the use of re-usable sanitary pads which were more cost effective. 

““We don’t want girls to miss school because they do not have sanitary wear hence we also encourage you to get re-usable sanitary pads if you cannot afford the disposable ones every month,” said Five.

During the engagement the pupils highlighted some of the challenges they face when they are on their menstrual cycle.

Some of them revealed that they did not use appropriate sanitary wear due to lack of money to buy and used alternative material available at home.

The school’s head girl thanked MAZ and PSZ for the kind gesture which she said was very much appreciated.

The remaining pads were handed over to Teen Rescue Mission, a non-profit organisation based in Seke, Chitungwiza.

The organisation works with underprivileged youths in the area and is working on the fight against the drug and substance abuse scourge.

Last year, the Women in marketing desk donated over 3 000 sanitary pads Chagugudza Primary School in Domboshava and Tsanganzuru Secondary School in Rusape.

In 2021, the CSR arm of WIM took their first initiative to Chingwere Primary School and donated pads to the young girls.

According to the study by SNV Zimbabwe, 72% of menstruating school girls do not use sanitary products simply because they cannot afford them.

The study further established that 62% of school girls are forced to miss school every month due to a lack of sanitary wear.

The lack of sanitary products results in alternative dangerous methods to manage the flow such as the use of rags, cardboard, tissues, newspapers, leaves and cow dung amongst others.

While 96 percent of girls in urban areas and 89 percent in rural areas reported using disposable sanitary materials, there are no containers for disposing used materials, and no supplies for cleaning after toilet use.

Often, the facilities are not accessible to girls with disabilities. Seventy-seven percent of girls from both rural and urban schools reported not having access to private and lockable compartments to change at school.