Putting Zimbabwean girls back in control

The Masvingo Rural District Council has embarked on the construction of sanitary disposal incinerators and girl-friendly latrines at 19 secondary schools and one primary school under the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme.

The pilot programme will cover all the wards in the district. The local WASH chairperson, Emmanuel Gundani, said in a recent interview that girls in most schools were facing challenges in disposing of menstrual pads because almost every school in the district lacked proper menstrual hygiene management facilities.

“For the first time in the history of our schools, we are going to introduce incinerators and plastic bins in girls' toilets where they can dispose of their pads. We are also constructing bigger latrines that will be fitted with small plastic water tanks to be used for washing purposes.” said Gundani.

The girls’ toilets will also be fitted with steel doors and looks. Gundani said the pilot project was expected to be extended to other schools in the country once uccessfully implemented in Masvingo.

“This programme is certainly revolutionary in menstrual hygiene management in our schools. In some schools we had incidents where used pads posed health risks as they were strewn all over. Under this programme, we are also advocating for schools to be free from open defecation,” he added.

Learn more about SNV's Girls in Control programme and explore SNV's work in Water, Sanitation & Hygiene worldwide.