By A Correspondent

A local organization led by Nancy Mufudza, in collaboration with Epworth North constituency legislator Zivai Mhetu and School Run Shuttle, recently donated sanitary pads to female students at Muguta Secondary School in Epworth.

Learners receive sanitary pads…

The donation, which provided each female student with two packets of sanitary pads, ballpoint pens, and exercise books, aimed to address period poverty and ensure that girls don’t miss school due to menstrual health challenges.

The event, attended by over 165 students and 20 teachers, was held under the theme “Girl Child, The Sky Is The Limit, Girl Child Be Empowered.”

Mhetu emphasized the importance of education as a tool to combat extreme poverty.

“Girls should be encouraged to value education as a pathway out of extreme poverty. With dedication and creativity, they can contribute meaningful solutions to national challenges,” Mhetu said.

He also spoke about empowering young girls through education and self-reliance, stressing that a girl should be independent so she can care for herself and her family. “If she finds a supportive husband, that’s a bonus, but the main goal is to help her stand on her own,” he added.

Students at the school shared their struggles with using unhygienic materials such as cloths during their menstrual cycle, which posed health risks.

One of the beneficiaries expressed her gratitude: “This donation is a huge relief. Many of us struggle to afford proper sanitary wear, but now we can focus on our studies without the fear of missing school due to lack of sanitary products.”

Using unhygienic materials during menstruation can lead to various infections, including bacterial vaginosis (BV), urinary tract infections (UTIs), and fungal infections such as candidiasis due to prolonged dampness and poor ventilation.

Nancy Mufudza, founder of School Run Shuttle, encouraged the students to work hard and make their parents proud.

The school’s headmaster, Mr. N. Kanyerere, thanked the donors for their generosity, noting that the sanitary pads would significantly help in addressing period poverty among the girls.

During the visit, Mhetu held a brief meeting with the headmaster, staff, and members of the School Development Committee (SDC) to discuss the challenges facing the school.

Constance Kambunga, Vice Chair of the SDC, highlighted issues such as the lack of electricity in the school office, a broken-down school vehicle, non-payment of school fees, high staff turnover due to poor road conditions, and the withdrawal of financial support for 16 students by the non-governmental organization Mavambo Kusile Dawn.

She also noted that the Basic Education Assistance Model (BEAM), which supports the majority of the students, had not made payments since 2022.

“We are struggling to keep the school running. Staff, including caretakers and other support personnel, have not received salaries for four months, and the infrastructure is deteriorating,” Kambunga said.

Mhetu acknowledged the challenges and outlined the steps being taken to address them.

“We have acquired a ZETDC quotation for the electrification process and have already submitted a requisition for funding to the treasury,” he said.

He also mentioned that he had engaged the Ministry of Transport and the provincial road administrator regarding road repairs, emphasizing that security was a priority. “We will work with ELB to secure land for proper school grounds,” he added.

On the issue of financial support, Mhetu committed to engaging the business community to help students who lost sponsorship from Mavambo Kusile Dawn and assured the school that he was advocating for BEAM payments in Parliament.

To further assist the school, Mhetu announced plans for a fundraising initiative aimed at installing solar power, acquiring a school vehicle, purchasing stationery, and constructing a boundary wall.

“The school has the potential to thrive if we all play our part. We need income-generating projects, and I will engage the Minister of Agriculture to ensure the school benefits from the Presidential Agricultural Scheme,” Mhetu stated.

He also supported the headmaster’s proposal for court-mandated community service labor to assist with the school’s nutritional garden.