BY STYLE REPORTER
Aids Health Fund [AHF] will this year donate five million sanitary pads across the globe, including in Zimbabwe in its quest to address period poverty in developing countries.
Period poverty refers to the lack of access to sanitary products and hygiene facilities to manage menstruation.
AFH is a global organisation providing medicine and advocacy to over one million living with HIV in 43 countries worldwide.
Speaking during the commemorations to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day last week, AHF country director Ernest Chikwati said one the strength of his organisation was advocacy.
“As AHF we tend to come up with unique things. Our role is advocacy and we use opportunities for advocacy to help those who cannot advocate. We are here hosting another unique event Menstrual Hygiene Day we tend to advocate for the girl child,” Chikwati said.
“We used to run another programme Girls Act, meant to empower the girl child. Girls can be in a position to make their decision when they are empowered.”
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Chikwati said AHF would distribute sanitary pads across the globe with the aim of empowering the girl child, particularly those that are marginalised.
“As part of this project, AHF will donate more than five million sanitary pads during the year as we try to respond to period poverty,” he said.
Menstrual Hygiene Day is recognised worldwide on May 28 and was first launched by advocates in 2014 to highlight the importance of menstrual hygiene management education that empowers girls to fully participate in society and live a healthy, self-determined life.
This year’s commemorations were held under the theme Menstrual Hygiene Day is Action and Investment in Menstrual Hygiene and Health.
The day is observed on May 28 because menstrual cycles average 28 days in length and people menstruate an average of five days each month. (May is the fifth month of the year.)
Day For Girls country director Chipo Chikomo said government should also give the same attention it renders to health disasters like Covid-19.
“We have seen government doling out support to Covid-19 something that is not done to menstrual hygiene. Periods do not stop because there is Covid-19, women menstruate even during a disaster,” Chikomo said.
AHF Africa bureau chief Penninah Iutung said distributing over five million sanitary pads to adolescent girls and women in need was important for multiple reasons.
“We’re helping who we can, but we’re also raising our voices and standing with the estimated 500 million women and girls that do not have access to adequate menstruation hygiene management facilities,” Lutung said.
AHF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 2016 having signed a memorandum of understanding with the Health and Child Care ministry that was aimed at supporting the national health strategy through various aspects of HIV and Aids prevention, treatment care and community services.
