By Tapiwa Zivira
In response to the Cyclone Idai disaster, a local youth-serving organisation operating in Mashonaland Central province, Roots, has donated over 1 000 packs of sanitary pads for girls affected by the disaster.
The organisation has a sanitary pad-making machine operated by survivors of child marriage and is used to make pads for disadvantaged girls and young women.
“So, in the wake of this disaster, we saw it fit to also channel these products to girls and women in Chimanimani and Chipinge as we recognise that menstrual health remains a key human right, which the survivors of the cyclone must be accorded” said Roots acting director Emelda Vhiriri.
“Sanitary pads are often a need that is not made public due to the nature of our communities, yet their unavailability greatly affects women and girls, who end up using pieces of fabric or cow dung, which can lead to diseases.”
As part of its work, Roots focuses on empowering adolescents and young people with information and skills through various channels focusing on sexual reproductive health and rights, economic empowerment, gender-based violence and ending child marriage.
Several companies and organisations continue to chip in with humanitarian assistance towards relief efforts in Cyclone Idai-ravaged Chimanimani and Chipinge, where over 192 people have been confirmed dead so far while hundreds are still missing and thousands marooned after floods massively destroyed infrastructure.
