Shot in the arm for Tore Primary

LEARNERS at Tore Primary School on the outskirts of Kwekwe, got a major boost after they received stationery and sanitary wear from the Greater Kwekwe Lions Club.

A majority of learners come from the surrounding farming community, and they face several challenges ranging from access to proper stationery, sanitary wear, and proper ablution facilities among others making it difficult for them to concentrate in class.

The Greater Kwekwe Lions Club members also took time to discuss key issues with learners revolving around drug and substance abuse, menstrual hygiene, teen pregnancies, and child marriages among others.

Speaking after handing over the donation which included exercise books, bond paper, pencils, pens, sanitary wear, bibles and sanitary hygiene pamphlets, the Greater Kwekwe Lions Club member, Mr Forget Chekure said the gesture was meant to give the children an equal opportunity to acquire the much-needed education.

“Our organisation focuses on eradicating hunger, climate change and environmental issues, ensuring that there is hygiene and improvement of sight among others. As such, we have come to this school to ensure that the children can have proper education without focusing much on the scourges that emanate from their communities,” he said.

Mr Chekure said they sourced the donations from individuals, partner organisations, and the community at large. “We used our resources and we also got support from other organisations that we work with such as Junior Chamber International (JCI), and Jointed Hands among others. Our major aim is to ensure that there is no hunger to talk about in the communities that we live in,” he said.

Sandra Masukume who represented Jointed Hands said most girls did not have adequate menstrual hygiene and access to menstrual hygiene information.

“We took time to talk with the girls sharing information on menstrual hygiene. This is because most of the girls do not have access to such information. We should therefore create time to sit down with them and get to assist them,” she said.

JCI Kwekwe’s past president, Mr Sheunesu Mangwende said they held a golf tournament last year which helped raise the sanitary pads that the organisation donated.

“After we made our assessments, we found out that the girl child does not have access to menstrual hygienic needs hence we hosted a tournament where we raised these pads. Going forward, we are going to use a data-driven approach where we can provide solutions on what is needed and maybe tailor-make solutions for available problems,” he said.

The gesture comes at a time when girls in the peri-urban and rural areas are struggling to have access to basic hygienic sanitary needs.

The unavailability of water in such areas is also worsening the situation.