By Beverly Bizeki
In a world where talking about menstruation is considered a taboo topic, a Chiredzi 16-year-old teenager is challenging the norm by campaigning for a pad drive to assist girls in Chiredzi schools especially in rural areas.
Driven by the desire to reduce period poverty which often leads to absenteeism in school by most girls, Tawanda Taputsa a junior councilor and Ordinary Level student at Hippo Valley High through an organisation called Climax Foundation in Zimbabwe said the campaign drive was aimed at boosting girls’ wellbeing when they are on their periods.
“I was motivated to conduct this campaign after realising that our school is in the rural areas and most of the girls that learn there come from families who cannot afford to buy them sanitary wear. This has led to an increase in absenteeism of girls at school when they are on their periods.
“Some of them rely on harmful objects such as book sheets and as a junior councilor this has moved me to take action,” said Taputsa.
Taputsa said it was of utmost importance to provide menstrual hygiene products for girls so that they can participate equally in school and will engage Guidance and Counselling Departments from all the schools involved to deliver education on menstrual health safety.
“Menstrual hygiene products will boost a girl’s self-esteem and confidence when she is with other learners she would not have to feel out of place so this campaign will also serve to protect the girl child from discrimination and will help boost her confidence among others. We will work with Guidance and Counselling departments at all schools in our community to ensure that every girl is taught the safety measures to take when using sanitary wear,” said Taputsa.
Taputsa said the campaign was also a chance to get the male learners involved in menstrual health education with every member of the community expected to extend a hand towards the idea including teaching the girls to come up with reusable pads.
“Members of the community can join hands to support this campaign by donating sanitary wear and teaching girls to make reusable pads themselves. In addition the boy child should learn to accept the girl child the way she is. He needs to make his sister feel protected and welcomed not discriminate or laugh at her. Through this campaign I would like to let the girl child know that her brother is with her in this and also set an example for other boys and members of the community to follow.
“Alongside this pad drive campaign we are also working towards innovating ways to manage waste against climate change, we are holding tree planting campaigns under the theme ‘Making Chiredzi a Green Place’ including clean up campaigns. We are also running drug awareness, cancer and cholera campaigns in Chiredzi, and the surrounding areas,” he said.
The program is targeting all schools in Chiredzi and disadvantaged communities in Chishamiso, Mhlanguleni, Chambuta, Chilonga, Tshovani and other areas in Zaka District. If the drive yields goods it will extend to all parts of Zimbabwe.
Climax Foundation Zimbabwe was founded in 2022 under PLAN International’s youth innovation challenge with the aim of coming up with innovative solutions to harness climate change in the country.
