PAN African financial services institution, Ecobank’s partnership with Care International in Zimbabwe is set to see 450 schoolgirls receiving reusable menstrual hygiene kits as part of efforts to curb the tide of period poverty.
More than three million women and girls in the Southern Africa nation menstruate and the majority of them do not have proper and sufficient menstrual protection. According to a study by SNV Zimbabwe, 72% of menstruating schoolgirls do not use sanitary products simply because they cannot afford them.
The study also showed that 62% of schoolgirls in Zimbabwe miss school every month due to lack of sanitary pads and 70% of these girls are not even aware of any sanitary pads brand on the market
In a gesture to commemorate the 2025 Menstrual Hygiene Day last Friday, Ecobank handed over a consignment of 450 menstrual hygiene kits for onward distribution to deserving school girls in Tsholothso District.
The kits include two packs of reusable sanitary pads totalling eight that will last for two to three years, two pairs of underwear, washing and bathing soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, a five litre bucket for soaking and a bath towel.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Ecobank’s Regional Head Consumer Banking, Patricia Mungwadzi-Musemesi committed to give a hand in alleviating period poverty.
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.
She said the commitment to girls and women is not new to Ecobank as she chronicled the assistance extended to women and girls in Buhera and Lupane where projects inclined towards promoting financial inclusion for rural women, helping them access savings, credit, and training to build stronger futures have been rolled out.
“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,” Mungwadzi-Musemesi said.
Care Zimbabwe Country Director, Walter Mwasaa said the humanitarian organisation places the welfare of women at the heart of its operations.
“At Care Zimbabwe, we believe that no girl should ever have to choose between her education and her period. 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.
“That is why we are proud to be taking this donation to Thsolotsho launching the Period Power Initiative in partnership with Ecobank,” he said.
The Primary and Secondary Education Ministry’s chief director for Learner Welfare ,Psychological Services and Special Needs Education, Hannah Maisiri hailed the donation saying the event was more than a celebration–it is a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to ensuring that no girl is left behind because of her period.
“When girls miss school every month due to lack of access to sanitary products, their education, confidence, and future are all put at risk. That is why the Government of Zimbabwe, through the Ministry of Education, has made it a priority to support menstrual hygiene management in schools,” she said.
