By Conrad Mwanawashe – Zaka
AS the world commemorates the International Day of the Girl Child today, a primary school in rural Zaka district, Zimbabwe, has recorded success in fighting period poverty, a situation of having insufficient access to menstrual products, education, and sanitation facilities.
The International Day of the Girl Child is marked on October 11 every year and this year’s them is: ‘Girls’ vision for the future’.
The day focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.
Period poverty makes girls miss school and negatively impacts their health, a situation which Vhudzi Primary School is determined to turn around.
The school currently enrols more girls, at 244 than boys, at 234.
“Our girls were missing school when they were on their periods because of fear of messing themselves up because we didn’t have female-friendly facilities,” said Mirriam Matsvaire, a parent.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in collaboration with UNICEF and funding from KfW Development Bank through the Government of Germany implemented a WASH component and assisted Vhudzi Primary School with the construction of ten squat hole toilets, half of them for girls.
The five girls’ toilets are fitted with sanitation facilities which girls who are on their periods can use to clean themselves up in a safe and private environment.
“We had a ratio of one squat hole toilet to 40 children but after the donation the ration has gone down to one squat hole toilet to 15 learners,” Vhudzi Primary Headmaster, Peter Hwezva said.
“We also received a handwashing facility and our learners can wash their hands after visiting the toilets and for this we’re grateful,” said Hwezva.
Sweetman and Medland, in their study conducted in 2017 noted that: “The lack of means for hygienic management of menstruation can cause discomfort and psychological stress and adds to the shame and sometimes depression that women and girls experience because of menstruation-related taboos and stigma.”
Studies have also shown that in low-income countries, half of the schools lack adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene services crucial to enable girls and female teachers to manage menstruation (UNICEF 2015).
Other studies have noted that inadequate sanitary facilities affect girls’ experiences at school, causing them to miss classes during their menstruation or even drop out. Schools that have female-friendly facilities and incorporate information on menstruation into the curriculum for both girls and boys can reduce stigma and contribute to better education and health outcomes.
Vhudzi primary is one such school that has provided safe female-friendly facility for the girl child.
“Our girls were missing school when on their periods because they could not afford menstrual products and we had no safe facilities at the school. These toilets are fitted with handwashing facilities and mirrors and afford the girls privacy. We provide soap and petroleum jelly together with sanitary pads in case of emergency,” said Emma Magombedze, a teacher and leader of the school’s health club.
Ishmael Bangamuseve, who was standing in for Zaka District Schools Inspector applauded the partners for providing ‘well-built toilets that will be safe for use by school kids’.
“I was impressed when I learnt that the girl child is being taken care of through the girl-friendly toilets. There is a lot of privacy. We are getting some sanitary ware from government and UNICEF,” said Bangamuseve.
The Vhudzi headmaster believes that the WASH projects, which have encouraged the girls
to attend school even when on their periods, have also had a positive impact on the school’s pass rate.
“We’ve benefitted from the WASH component. Since the introduction of the handwashing facility and other WASH projects our pass rate rose to 85% in 2023 from 65% the previous year. We’ve been in the top ten in the district in terms of the pass rate,” Hwezva added.
However, the school is appealing to government, UNICEF and other partners for solarised boreholes and piped water to ensure reliable and maximum use of the handwashing facility.
“Our sources of water are about 950m away and lack of piped water means that learners are forced to manually fill storage tanks with water for use in the school’s various projects. Learners lose valuable learning time as they go to fetch water,” said Hwezva.
