Sustainable sanitary products for 50 girls
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Project details
Health
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
👩🏿🦲 50
Additional data
50
£750
£750
£0
This project will provide 50 girls from Mbare High School with reusable sanitary pads and complementary accessories which will last them up to 2 years.
Our trusted partners Days for Girls Zimbabwe will work with grassroots organisation The Period Care Package Initiative to deliver kits safely and provide menstrual hygiene education virtually.
Challenge
On average, 72% of rural girls in Zimbabwe do not have access to sanitary wear and miss 48 to 60 days of school a year due to their menstruation.
The financial burden of procuring sanitary wear results in the use of unsanitary alternatives. These include corn curbs, cow dung, leaves and rags. The stigma associated with menstruation increases the risk of these unhealthy and unhygienic practices as girls are not adequately educated on healthy menstrual hygiene practices.
Solution
This project will promote healthy menstrual hygiene management through virtual educational sessions and the donation of tailor-made packages with sustainable sanitary wear that is locally manufactured in Zimbabwe.
Each girl will receive a kit that contains reusable sanitary pads, two pairs of underwear, five pegs, two big Ziploc bags, one cloth bag, 1 bar soap, one washcloth, a menstrual calendar and an educational leaflet about menstrual care and hygiene.
Impact
No girl should face unnecessary hurdles to access supplies and information during menstruation. Poverty, gender inequality and cultural taboos are all contributors to period poverty in Zimbabwe.
This project provides girls with comprehensive menstrual supplies which will last them up to 2 years. It also educates girls on the normality of periods and how to manage their health and hygiene, supporting them to stay in school all year round.
The pads are locally manufactured by Days for Girls Zimbabwe’s skilled artisans and support their mission-critical work restoring vulnerable girls and women's dignity.
This investment flows into this locally-owned women-led supply chain, ensuring long-term sustainability.
Updates
From the field
Following up on the girls at Mbare High School
Posted 30 July 2021
We have received an update from Takudzwa Chitima, one of our partners on the ground. She has carried out a follow-up survey with four of the girls who received reusable Days for Girls pads as part of this project.
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Mitchell in Form 4 found the Days for Girls pads challenging at first as she was used to disposables. However, the learning curve wasn't steep, especially as she had been washing disposable pads and reusing them. She's had no leakage and has not bought reusable pads since she started using the Days for Girls pads. Her family members also want to know where they can get some!
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Karen in Form 4 has stopped buying disposable pads and only uses the Days for Girls pads. She finds them easy to wash, and they dry quickly. The pad holder is a bit big for her, but she's had no leakage and no longer experiences the irritation she used to get with disposables.
Distribution complete!
Posted 13 April 2021
All 50 girls have now received their kits of reusable pads!
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Strikes are delaying distribution
Posted 26 March 2021
We received an update from Chipo and Takudzwa, who are on the ground and in partnership with us to provide sustainable sanitary kits for 50 girls in Mbare, Zimbabwe.
The teachers at Mbare High School are on strike, protesting inadequate pay, which is delaying the distribution of the pads. Our partners have a good relationship with the teachers, so we will be informed as soon as it is possible to carry out the distribution. Days for Girls have completed the manufacturing process, and the pads are ready for distribution.
Making of the kits is underway
Posted 17 March 2021
Hey, villagers.
We got another update from Zimbabwe as the sewing of the reusable pads and the curation of the menstrual kits are underway.
Funds are in Zim!
Posted 8 March 2021
We've successfully managed to transfer the project funds to Chipo (project lead) in Zimbabwe, who is now procuring inputs for the kits and planning the logistics.