People’s Own Saving Bank (POSB), one of the leading financial service providers in the country, has donated sanitary wear to girls at Marimasimbe Secondary School in Gokwe as part of its contribution towards promoting access to menstrual hygiene products through its ‘Donate a Pad and Keep a Girl in School’ launched earlier this year.
According to the bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Garainashe Changunda, POSB is committed to assisting communities in which it exists and views itself as an agent of social change whose thrust is to engage in transformative programs to improve the lives of the socially and economically vulnerable segments in the country.
“As such, the bank’s corporate social responsibility program focuses on education and literacy and health, and philanthropy- from which the Donate a Pad initiative was born. We believe that every girl deserves to have access to proper sanitary wear and to stay in school. By donating these pads, we hope to make a positive difference in the lives of these girls and empower them to achieve their dreams. This is one of the ways that POSB is ploughing back into the community.
“We hope that these pads will reduce absenteeism due to poor hygiene during the girls’ menstrual period. We also hope that the donation will inspire the girls to pursue their dreams and aspirations without any barriers or limitations,” Changunda said.
Many girls in Zimbabwe miss school or drop out due to a lack of sanitary wear to deal with menstrual hygiene issues. This affects their education and future prospects.
Changunda added that POSB plans to extend the initiative to other schools and areas in need.
He also thanked the Bank’s staff members who contributed to the initiative and urged other stakeholders to join hands in addressing the menstrual health challenges in Zimbabwe.
“Lack of access to sanitary products is a real and pressing issue, one that has far-reaching consequences for teenage girls. It is everyone’s responsibility to help address this challenge and try to make a difference. We should not shy away and let the stigma and silence around menstrual health stop us from talking and learning about it. Our girls deserve to have their dignity and rights preserved” he added.
The donation was received by the Headmaster of Marimasimbe Secondary School, Madendeya, who expressed his gratitude to POSB for the gesture.
Madendeya said that the donation will go a long way in uplifting the girls’ morale at the school.
“We are very grateful to POSB for this generous donation. This gift will help our girls to manage their periods without stress or shame but with dignity and confidence. It will also make them come to school more often and do better in their studies. We are glad that POSB is supporting the girl child’s education, health, and hygiene welfare,” Madendeya said.
Through this initiative, staff members donate pads or leave days which were converted to cash used to purchase sanitary wear. The Bank also contributed by matching the staff donation. The pads are then distributed to less privileged girls in marginalized communities to help keep them in school during the menstrual period.
