Stanbic takes sanitary wear campaign to Mat’land

Shamiso Dzingire, Business Reporter
STANBIC Bank Zimbabwe says it will be taking its re-usable and disposable sanitary wear campaign to Matabeleland provinces as part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility efforts.

The bank has secured over 2 000 packets of both reusable and disposable sanitary wear and over 350 girls based in rural communities have benefitted from the initiative.

The bank has also distributed sanitary wear to girls at Sacred Heart School in Banket, Donhodzo Primary and Secondary Schools in Bindura and Donhodzo Primary School in Chegutu.

In a statement released yesterday, Stanbic’s head of human capital Mrs Nyasha Mutsai said they were moving their sanitary wear drive to Matabeleland.

“The next port of call is Matabeleland. We will be handing over the sanitary essentials to young girls who have already been identified.

“We also have branches in Bulawayo and we will be heading to a rural community very close to the City of Kings to assist girls who were identified by our fellow colleagues based in Bulawayo,” she said.

To instill more self confidence in the beneficiaries, Stanbic Bank partnered a women empowerment organisation, Talia Women’s Network, to hold interactive sessions with the millennials and teach them how to use the reusable napkins.

Speaking at one of the handover ceremonies recently, Talia Women’s Network managing director Mrs Saliwe Mutetwa-Zakariya, emphasised the importance of families opening up to discuss issues of reproductive health such as menstruation as they are fundamental health topics.

Mrs Zakariya also bemoaned traditional barriers that still hinder sexual health discussions within families, and encouraged young girls to feel free to discuss with their school teachers such as senior women, who have become important figures strategically placed to cover gaps created by different cultural beliefs.

The sanitary wear drive campaign was started by the bank’s female employees and is supported by the bank’s corporate social investment efforts. In Zimbabwe, most girls cannot afford sanitary wear, a development that has seen them relying on paper and old rags during their monthly periods.

@ShamisoDzingire