Ecobank, Care Zim Donate 450 Menstrual Kits to Fight Period Poverty
Over 450 schoolgirls in Tsholotsho District are set to benefit from a major menstrual health intervention jointly launched by Ecobank Zimbabwe and Care International, as the country battles a deepening crisis of period poverty affecting millions of girls.
The initiative, which coincided with the commemoration of Menstrual Hygiene Day 2025, seeks to address the widespread lack of access to menstrual hygiene products in Zimbabwean schools, particularly in rural communities.
According to SNV Zimbabwe, 72% of menstruating schoolgirls in the country do not use sanitary products due to affordability issues, while 62% miss school every month for the same reason.
Launching the programme in Tsholotsho last Friday, Care Zimbabwe Country Director Walter Mwasaa said the donation marked the beginning of a broader campaign to ensure menstrual health is prioritised in schools.
“No girl should ever have to choose between her education and her period,” said Mwasaa.
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“Yet, for millions of girls across our country, that is the painful reality. Period poverty is not just a health issue—it is a barrier to opportunity, to equality, and to hope.”
His remarks were echoed by Patricia Mungwadzi-Musemesi, Ecobank’s Regional Head of Consumer Banking, who noted the severity of the issue, particularly in rural districts.
“This donation comes at a critical time. Across Zimbabwe, almost 60% of girls in rural schools miss school every month due to lack of access to menstrual hygiene products.
“That is not just a statistic—it is a crisis. And it is one we must confront together.”
The menstrual hygiene kits distributed to the girls contain two packs of reusable pads (eight in total), two pairs of underwear, bathing and washing soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a bath towel, and a five-litre bucket for soaking used pads.
The reusable pads are expected to last between two to three years, providing a sustainable alternative for girls with no access to commercial sanitary products.
Mungwadzi-Musemesi said the intervention aligns with Ecobank’s long-standing commitment to the empowerment of women and girls.
“At Ecobank, we are proud signatories of the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, and through our Ellevate programme, we have supported over 73,000 women-led businesses across Africa, providing over US$177 million in funding. We believe that when women and girls thrive, communities prosper.
“This is what ‘A Better Way’ means to us—not just better banking, but better lives. It means standing with girls in Tsholotsho, in Buhera, in Lupane, and across Zimbabwe. It means ensuring that no girl is left behind because of her period.”
According to NewZimbabwe, 70% of schoolgirls are not even aware of any sanitary pad brands—evidence of the widespread knowledge gap and silence surrounding menstruation.
Government officials present at the event applauded the initiative.
Hannah Maisiri, Chief Director for Learner Welfare, Psychological Services and Special Needs Education in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, said menstrual hygiene must be treated as an educational and health priority.
“When girls miss school every month due to lack of access to sanitary products, their education, confidence, and future are all put at risk,” she said.
“That is why the Government of Zimbabwe, through the Ministry of Education, has made it a priority to support menstrual hygiene management in schools.”
