ZIMBABWE: Harare West Constituency junior Parliamentarian has launched a campaign to raise sanitary pads for underprivileged girls in Harare high-density suburbs.
Grettelle Gazah (18), an Advanced Level at Mabelreign Girls High School managed to raise 80 packets of sanitary pads, 2 days after the launching of the campaign.
“l launched the project on April 30 but today which is the second day l received 80 packets already on the first day of the campaign,” Said Gazah.
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“I’m getting assistance mostly from the staff and students here at Mabelreign and other schools who we have Interact relations with,” she told Transcontinental Times.
Unaffordability of buying sanitary wear
Menstrual health has become a global concern as many underprivileged people are still resorting to unfavourable materials due to the unaffordability of sanitary pads.
Some girls rely on parents to give them money to buy such commodities, but unfortunately, with their sources of income, it won’t be possible to buy pads every month as they sometimes earn a dollar or less profit per day.
Utilising her position to help underprivileged
Therefore Gazah said it is her duty to utilise her position to stand for her fellow girls who cannot afford to buy sanitary wear during their monthly periods.
“I feel it is our responsibility to take care of fellow female citizens and for that reasons, l will pursue this campaign until l see a change in the lives of many girls out there”.
“In these dire economic hardships we are facing in Zimbabwe, price hikes have made it nearly impossible for some girls to purchase this basic commodity.
“I intend to run the project for a month, that is from 1 May to the 31st during this time l want not only to just donate but to recognise those who are in need the most so that even if my term in office ends, l can decide to run the project next year”.
Engage other stakeholders
Her term in the office is ending in June, hence she needs to mobilise oncoming junior parliamentarians and other charity organisations to continue with the project.
Gazah managed to engage a charity organisation and her school clubs.
“I started the project alone then engaged Shanduko Foundation and Black Einstein Laboratory and Interact club of Mabelreign which I’m now working in conjunction with and they have been of great assistance”.
