GEDO Donates 4,500 Sanitary Pads to Scott Foundation

Mpundu Valerie

Gedo Grassroots Empowerment Developmental Organisation (GEDO) has handed over 4,500 sanitary pads to the Scott Foundation in a move aimed at improving Menstrual Hygiene Management for vulnerable girls and women from disadvantaged households.

The donation is expected to reduce absenteeism among school-going girls, promote better health and hygiene, and ensure vulnerable women and girls can manage their periods with dignity and without interrupting their daily lives.

The donation will ensure beneficiaries are able to manage their menstrual health with dignity, confidence and comfort, while also helping to keep girls in school. Speaking at the handover, GEDO CEO Sarah Musekiwa said the initiative is part of a broader commitment to ensure menstrual health is treated as a right, not a privilege.

"As Gedo Foundation, we believe sanitary wear should not be a privilege but a basic right for every female. This donation to Scott Foundation is the first of many as we commit ourselves to improving Menstrual Hygiene Management and restoring dignity for girls and women in our communities," said Musekiwa.

She emphasized that lack of access to sanitary wear has far-reaching consequences beyond physical discomfort. "When a girl lacks sanitary wear, she loses more than just comfort, she loses school days, confidence, and dignity. By providing sanitary wear, we are not just giving a product, we are keeping girls in school and giving them a fair chance to chase their dreams," she added.

Musekiwa further stressed the need for collective action to end period poverty. "Menstrual Hygiene Management is health, it is dignity, it is equality. No woman should have to use unsafe alternatives because she cannot afford pads. We hope this gesture inspires others, because together we can ensure no girl is left behind because of her period," she said.

Speaking on behalf of the receiving organisation, Mrs Joyce Muyengwa, Social Worker at Scott Foundation, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the support. "As Scott Foundation, we are deeply grateful to Gedo. This donation is particularly meaningful because access to menstrual hygiene products remains a challenge for many vulnerable girls and women, especially those from disadvantaged households," said Muyengwa.

"We sincerely appreciate Gedo for partnering with us and for demonstrating that meaningful change can be achieved when organisations come together to respond to the needs of vulnerable communities." "The donation will go a long way in supporting girls and women in our communities to manage their menstrual health with dignity, confidence and comfort, while also keeping girls in school as access to sanitary products can affect school attendance and participation," she noted.

Access to sanitary wear remains a critical factor in advancing gender equality, safeguarding health and protecting the right to education. By ensuring girls and women have the products they need, communities invest not only in hygiene but in confidence, opportunity and a more equitable future where menstruation is never a barrier to progress.

GEDO sanitary pad donation