tawandamusarurwa
Online Reporter
Hospitality group African Sun has donated sanitary wear for rural and underprivileged girls across the country.
The company, which runs a number of hotels across the country, recently handed over 4 000 pads to the Girl Child Network for onward distribution to adolescents.
Speaking on the sidelines of the handover ceremony in Chitungwiza, African Sun head of marketing, public relations and innovation, Mrs Charleen Mtezo, said the donation is intended to mostly assist girls of a school-going age.
“According to surveys conducted on the girl-child, some girls are absent from school during their menstrual cycle for four to five days in every 28 days, thereby losing three weeks of learning every school term.
“This disadvantages them compared to their male counterparts,” said Mrs Mtezo.
Girl Child Network national coordinator Ms Esther Mushamba said the donation will ease the burden for at least 1 000 girls over a few months.
“This donation comes at a time when we need it. We are trying to end poverty induced by not having access to sanitary wear.
“You might think that it is something as simple as not having a pad, but girls in marginalised areas or those who are underprivileged miss school, and, in some cases, they end up being abused just to get to have a dignified period,” said Ms Mushamba.
The donation, she said, will be distributed to select communities and to girls within their network.
“We are targeting 1 000 girls; we are going to start the distribution here in Chitungwiza. Our philosophy is that we start by assisting in the community in which we operate. From there we will target girls in Mount Hampden, Mbare, Mashonaland Central and as far as Binga, as well as Dande,” she said.
In 2020, Zimbabwe removed duty on sanitary pads in a bid to reduce their cost and enhance access.
Online Reporter