POSB Donates Sanitary Wear to Marimasimbe Secondary School Girls in Gokwe
By Staff Reporter
Gokwe, Zimbabwe – The People’s Own Saving Bank (POSB), the country’s leading financial services provider, has made a significant contribution to promoting access to menstrual hygiene products.
As part of their ‘Donate a Pad and Keep a Girl in School’ campaign, POSB donated sanitary wear to the girls of Marimasimbe Secondary School in Gokwe.
The initiative, launched earlier this year, aims to ensure that girls have access to proper sanitary wear, reducing barriers to education caused by menstrual hygiene challenges.
The ‘Donate a Pad and Keep a Girl in School’ campaign relies on the generous donations of POSB staff members, who contribute pads or leave days that are converted into cash to purchase sanitary wear.
The bank also matches the staff donations. The sanitary pads are then distributed to underprivileged girls in marginalized communities, enabling them to remain in school during their menstrual periods.
Marimasimbe Secondary School in Gokwe South, Midlands province, has become the first beneficiary of this commendable initiative after stakeholders identified the need for proper sanitary wear among young girls at the remote school.
Each girl will receive enough pads to last for several months.
Mr. Garainashe Changunda, CEO of POSB, expressed the bank’s commitment to assisting communities and emphasized its role as an agent of social change.
“The bank’s corporate social responsibility program focuses on education and literacy, health and philanthropy, from which the Donate a Pad initiative was born.”
He added, “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 plowing back into the community.”
Lack of access to sanitary products is a pressing issue affecting many girls in Zimbabwe, often resulting in missed school days or dropouts. This issue has detrimental effects on their education and future prospects.
Mr. Changunda acknowledged the significance of the donation, stating, “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.”
In addition to supporting Marimasimbe Secondary School, POSB has plans to extend the initiative to other schools and areas in need.
Mr. Changunda expressed gratitude to the bank’s staff members for their contributions and called upon other stakeholders to join hands in addressing menstrual health challenges in Zimbabwe. He emphasized that it is everyone’s responsibility to address this issue and preserve the dignity and rights of girls.
The Headmaster of Marimasimbe Secondary School, Mr. Madendeya, received the donation on behalf of the school and expressed heartfelt gratitude to POSB.
He praised the initiative for uplifting the girls’ morale, saying, “We are very grateful to POSB for this generous donation.
This gift will help our girls manage their periods without stress or shame, but with dignity and confidence.
It will also encourage them to attend school regularly and excel in their studies. We are glad that POSB is supporting the girl child’s education, health, and hygiene welfare.”
The donation ceremony witnessed the presence of representatives from POSB, Marimasimbe Secondary School, the school’s SDA committee, parents, and members of the Gokwe community.
The collaborative effort between POSB and the community highlights the importance of addressing menstrual health challenges and empowering girls to reach their full potential.
