Help 5,000 Girls Stay in School-End Period Poverty in Zimbabwe

The Silent Struggle

Imagine Tanaka, a bright 14-year-old girl in rural Zimbabwe. She loves mathematics and dreams of becoming a nurse. She’s at the top of her class and her future looks bright. But every month, for five days, her books are closed, her school uniform is put away, and her dreams are put on hold.

Why? Because Tanaka has her period — and her family cannot afford sanitary pads.

Like so many others, she faces an impossible choice: go to school and risk shame and embarrassment, or stay home and fall behind. Out of fear and lack of resources, she stays home. Over the course of a year, she misses up to a quarter of her classes. Slowly, the gap between her and her male peers grows wider, and her dreams slip further away.

Tanaka’s story is not unique. It is the painful reality of period poverty, silently stealing education, health, and dignity from thousands of girls in Zimbabwe.

What Period Poverty Means

Period poverty isn’t just about the absence of pads. It is about:

Lost Education: Missing school every month causes girls to fall behind, and many eventually drop out.

Health Risks: Using unsafe substitutes like rags, leaves, or newspapers can cause serious infections.

Lost Confidence: The stigma and shame tied to menstruation erode self-esteem.

Cycles of Poverty: Without education, girls have fewer opportunities, continuing the cycle of poverty in their families and communities.

Period poverty is a thief and it’s time we stopped it.

Our Mission: The Dignity & Education Drive

The Zimbabwe Save Youth Association is launching the Dignity & Education Drive to support 5,000 schoolgirls in rural Zimbabwe with:

A year’s supply of sanitary pads.

Menstrual health education to reduce stigma.

Renewed dignity and confidence so they can learn without fear.

This campaign is not just about distributing products. It is about restoring hope, protecting health, and unlocking potential.

The Cost of Change

We have done the math:

Each girl needs 48 pads per year.

For 5,000 girls, that equals 240,000 pads — or 24,000 packs.

At the cheapest local Zimbabwe price ($1 per pack of 10 pads), the total cost is just $24,000.

That means every single donation counts:

$10 = keeps 2 girls in school for a year.

$50 = supports 10 girls for a year.

$200 = supports 40 girls for a year.

$500 = supports 100 girls for a year.

$1000 = supports 200 girls for a year.

With just a little, you can do so much.

Why This Matters

Educating girls transforms entire communities. An educated girl is more likely to:

Stay healthy.

Earn a higher income.

Marry later and raise a stronger family.

Break the cycle of poverty for generations.

Your donation isn’t just a pack of pads. It’s a classroom seat, an exam passed, a dream protected, and a brighter future made possible.

Be the Lifeline

We have the networks, the passion, and the plan — but we cannot do this alone.

Every dollar brings us closer to a world where no girl has to give up her education because of her period. Every gift restores dignity, protects health, and builds a brighter future.

Please, donate today. Share this campaign. Together, let’s give the gift of dignity and education to 5,000 girls in Zimbabwe.

This campaign is facilitated by Tafadzwa Raradza, Andile Tshuma, and Petros Chatiza through Zimbabwe Save Youth Association. Together, we are committed to bringing dignity, menstrual health, and education to 5,000 girls across Zimbabwe. Your support can make this drive a success and change thousands of lives.

Important Dates:

– Donation Deadline: 18 December 2025

– Distribution Day: 21 December 2025 (we will personally deliver pads to schools and communities before the holiday season)

Drop-off Location:

Causeway Building, 2nd Floor, Central Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe

(For those who wish to donate pads and menstrual products in person)

Every contribution — whether financial or product donation — brings us closer to ensuring that no girl misses school because of her period. Let’s do this together