Victoria Falls Chronicle, July 12, 2020
“Use of Reusable Sanitary Pads on the Rise”
by Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
The use of reusable sanitary pads is becoming popular among women and girls as the cost of regular disposable ones has gone beyond the reach of many. Some rural girls reportedly resort to using rags and cow dung to manage their menstruation periods as they cannot afford disposable sanitary pads, which now cost more than $100 per pack on average.
To try and cushion the girl child with sustainable safe reproductive health, Pathways Women Empowerment and Girl Child Support Network Trust (PWEGCSNT), based in Victoria Falls, has committed itself to transforming livelihoods through the distribution of reusable pads. Formed in September 2018 by civil society activist Mr. Trymore Ndolo, PWEGCSNT is certified by Days for Girls International.
The organisation makes supreme reusable sanitary pad kits consisting of a bag with two shields, eight liners, face towel, undergarments, plastic paper bag and a calendar with care and user tips. The supreme kit, whose value is US $10, is distributed for free to the girls. The kit is a one-size fits all package and can sustain one for three to five days using two liners per day.
Mr. Ndolo said the organisation’s core vision is to reach out to 100,000 girls in Matabeleland North province in the next five years through distribution of reusable sanitary pads that can last for three years.
Mr. Ndolo, who works with Pastor Ernest Moyo, Mr. Lowell G. Rice who is based in USA, Ms. Sehliselo Dube and Ms. Sungano Moyo as trustees, said access to sanitary pads is a perennial challenge for the girl child and some women. “I have been in civic society for a long time leading youth movements and decided to start this organization to help the girl child in safe reproductive health. I thought of killing two birds with one stone to empower women and help the girl child so that they stay in school.
“There are reports about girls using cow dung, old rags and pieces of cloth as sanitary pads which is not good for their health. What we have established is that not everyone can afford the disposable pads, hence we started producing reusable ones which are user friendly. They are 100 percent cotton and last for three years. They are recommended by our partner organization Days for Girls International,” said Mr. Ndolo.
He said they visit schools and identify underprivileged girls with the help of school authorities. “Girls need to stay in school without being affected by their menstruation cycle. We have gone to Mosi-oa-Tunya High School and distributed 100 reusable sanitary pads, Jabulani Secondary in Lupinya where we gave 100 and Sidobe Secondary where we donated 80 reusable pads. We have also given 150 reusable pads to five wards in Victoria Falls town and others to the Covid-19 task force to give to returnees in quarantine centres. We look forward to spreading to Jambezi, Hwange, Dete and Binga in the foreseeable future. The ultimate goal is to spread to all seven districts in the province as we target to reach out to 100,000 young girls in the next five years,” said Mr. Ndolo.
He said reusable pads are also environment friendly. “Disposable sanitary pads don’t degrade. Imagine what happens to the environment if a woman in her lifetime can use 11,000 tampons that are not biodegradable?” he said. “Boys and men also play an important role in girls’ safe reproductive health so as to break the so called taboos and boost girls’ self-esteem,” said Mr. Ndolo, a trained counsellor under the ‘Men I Know’ program conducted by Days for Girls International.
“We do health education for both boys and girls on adolescence. I went through some training under the ‘Men I Know’ program done by Days for Girls which is aimed at breaking stigma on menstruation and other health issues related to sexuality. Our society must know that it’s not taboo for children and parents to talk about menstruation. When women menstruate, it simply means they are cleaning themselves which is a health process. Men and boys should be well informed and have to understand this and offer support to girls and women so they are not ashamed to open up when they need pads. This ultimately boosts girls’ self-esteem and encourages them to stay in school,” explained Mr. Ndolo.
He said the organization also works with volunteer men and women on the educational programs. The making of reusable pads is also a source of employment and income for some women and youths working with PWEGCSNT. Mr. Ndolo said they plan to employ women on a full-time basis to make the pads and also engage interns in every district to meet the 100,000 target. Mr. Ndolo said production of the kits was affected by the lockdown as most of the material is imported from America and South Africa through some partners. The organization has capacity to make 200 supreme kits per month. Mr. Ndolo said his organization is open to partnerships for the purpose of capacitating the girl child in the province.
“We are inviting partnerships as we want to spread to the whole province. We always take part in commemorating World Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28 to promote menstrual hygiene,” he said. “Some girls lose out on school work as they stay home during their menses which is why every year we participate in the Menstrual Hygiene Day where we educate girls and distribute some pads. Boys and men can support the girl child by ensuring availability of pads and creating an environment where there is dialogue with girls about menstruation.”