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Masline Mavudzi Features Correspondent
Nothando Mudzviti (not her real name) is 13 years old and a Grade Seven pupil at a primary school in Mlichi village, Hurungwe.
She is an orphan, stays with her old grandmother who struggles to pay her fees and provide for other basic necessities of life.
Just recently, Nothando’s menstrual cycle started worsening her already burdened childhood.
Her grandmother cannot afford to buy her sanitary wear to use during this period of a woman’s life.
As a result she has had to miss classes every time she menstruates during the school term to save herself the embarrassment that comes with “messing” oneself.
“Most girls from my school also miss lessons during this time because we are afraid to spoil clothes and be laughed at by boys in our classes,” she said.
More than half of teenage girls in the country especially remote rural areas do not have access to sanitary wear and resort to unhygienic alternatives such as cow dung and pieces of cloth.
Sanitary wear is unavailable in most rural areas and when it is, it is not affordable to most girls.
What makes the situation unbearable for rural girls is that menstruation issues are regarded as taboo in many communities and women are regarded as unclean during that period.
Society turns a blind eye when it comes to sanitary wear issues, which are vital to women’s and girls’ reproductive health.
Society has not done much with organisations like Patsime Trust and other well-wishers helping here and there.
Just recently, Patsime Trust distributed reusable sanitary pads to girls at Mlichi Primary and Secondary satellite schools in Hurungwe.
A total of 130 girls from the two schools benefited from the reusable sanitary wear.
Patsime Trust director Mr Jasen Mphepo said the decision to provide reusable sanitary wear was part of their efforts to teach disadvantaged communities about sexual reproductive health rights and provide rural girls with access to clean hygienic menstrual towels.
“Most rural communities need to be supported and assisted with affordable sanitary wear. The use of reusable pads will enable them to maintain a healthy menstrual cycle,” he said.
“Sometimes especially at schools like Mlichi when girls are on their menstrual periods they fail to attend school for fear of being booed by their classmates when they spoil uniforms as a result of using improper sanitary wear,” said Mr Mphepo.
He commended the Government for putting effort in the implementation of washable and reusable pads.
“The Government also contributes at least in scaling up such sanitary pads for girls.
“The Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development introduced reusable sanitary wear in most parts of the country’s rural communities like Seke, so we have come to compliment what they are doing. We call upon other international organisations to also do this noble cause,” Mr Mphepo added.
The menstrual hygiene management programme was implemented by SNV Netherlands Development organisation whereby the washable sanitary pads can be used for up to 18 months.
The SNV Netherlands Development organisation is working together with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development in making and introducing washable and reusable sanitary pads in most of the country’s rural and urban communities.
Statistics from the various stakeholders say 45 percent of rural school girls use pieces of old clothes and rags in their menstrual cycle.
Health experts say use of rags, leaves and cow dung might cause bruises, thrush, discomfort, urinary tract infections, cancer and other gynaecological diseases.
Statistics show that 20 percent of rural school girls do not attend school during their menstrual periods because they cannot afford sanitary wear.
The Dutch agency estimates that 72 percent of rural primary school girls that menstruate do not use sanitary pads in Zimbabwe.
The United Nations Education,Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), estimates that one in 10 girls in Africa will miss school during their period and eventually drop out of school.
Reusable and washable pads are locally manufactured and one pad can last for up to 18 months and a pack of 12 pads can last more than three years.
When one uses reusable pads they wear them for only six hours and soak them in cold water only for two minutes and leave them to dry.
When washing them it is advised that people should use bathing or washing soap and avoid applying other washing detergents.
For girls like Nothando such interventions could not have come at a better time. They have restored her confidence and allowed her to go about her daily routine normally.
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