Author: jasmine shirey

Teaching Girls to Make Re-Usable Sanitary Wear

Posted on by jasmine shirey

FAWEZI is partnering with Women in Tech to host workshops on making re-usable sanitary pads. Last week we went to Mabvuku High School and Domboramwari High school and taught fifty girls the strategy to make the pads out of any cloth they may have available. The activity was in line with the Menstrual Health Day (MHD) which is commemorated annually on the 28th of May. Due to the economic hardships in Zimbabwe, FAWEZI and Women in Tech saw is necessary to teach the girls to make their own pads so that they will not miss school because of lack of sanitary pads. We look to continue hosting these events into the future.
Advantages of re-usable sanitary pads:
• Cheap – as one will be making them with available material, for example old toweling cloth
• Comfortable – as they do not have chemicals which causes girls to react.
• They can be used as panty liners.
Points to note:
• The re-usable sanitary pads need thorough washing.
• Dry them in the sun or where there is air circulation.

The girls made sanitary pads for themselves and took them home.

Girls at Mabvuku High School showing off their new pads.

Counselling and Therapy Workshop in Chitungwiza

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FAWEZI recently hosted a Guidance and Counselling Training workshop for teachers. The workshop was held at Chaminuka Primary School in Chitungwiza. The teachers underwent training on general counselling and therapy training, as well as a specific theory and practice lecture regarding drug related counselling. We also had a SRHR service mapping in schools exercise. Thank you AmplifyChange for supporting Fawezi in ‘Maximizing Opportunities for Adolescent Girls and Young Women’s Access to SRH Awareness’.

Action Aid Zimbabwe Inception Meeting

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FAWEZI took part in the Action Aid Zimbabwe inception meeting
for the “Empowered Adolescent Girls for Improved Quality of Life” project as one of the implementing partners this week. FAWEZI National Coordinator Lydia Madyirapanze gave a presentation on the FAWE Tuseme / Taura unzwike/Khuluma uzwakale Girls empowerment Model during the meeting. The goal of the project is social and economic empowerment of adolescent girls and young women in Zimbabwe. FAWEZI wishes to aid in developing a well rounded Zimbabwean adolescent, by implementing unique best practices and models addressing violence against women and girls, comprehensive sexuality education, and economic empowerment.

Service Provider Meeting in Shamva

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FAWEZI recently traveled to Shamva to speak with service providers and the District School Inspector about SRHR services offered in the community, and gaps to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) accessing services. A theme that came up consistently during the workshop was the lack of privacy individuals experience throughout the service provision process. Possible solutions mentioned included raising resources for facilities that foster privacy and campaigns to change attitudes around stigma and gossiping. Thank you AmplifyChange for supporting our work in addressing gaps in SRHR and Fawe Rs for your continuous support! We look forward to our next trip to Shamva!

Menstrual Hygiene Day Preparations

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As part of our preparations for Menstrual Hygiene Day, FAWEZI is collecting sanitary ware to give to girls in need. Contribute to our 1 month sanitary pads collection drive and help us donate sanitary pads to disadvantaged girls in selected project areas in the Chitungwiza and Shamva Districts. The sanitary pads will be handed over to the girls on the Menstrual Hygiene Day (MH day) – May 28. On the day we will also hold dialogues with the girls on healthy menstrual management. Individuals and organisations can donate the sanitary pads or cash/transfer to make the purchase. MH Day provides a platform to break the silence, raise awareness, and change negative social norms around Menstrual Health Management, it also engages decision-makers to increase the political and economic priority and catalyses action for MHM, at global, national, and local levels.  WhatsApp questions or send ecocash donations to 0785541612.

SRHR Service Providers Dialogue

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Barriers to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services and information put girls’ health at risk. Inconsistent laws and policies relating to the age at which girls are able to access SRHR services without parental consent; stigma and taboo around the sexual activity of adolescents; a lack of comprehensive sexuality education, and other inconsistencies continue to negatively impact girls’ sexual and reproductive health. FAWEZI held a dialogue with SRH service providers from Chitungwiza today to discuss the policies surrounding SRH for adolescents.
Our aims were:

  • To interrogate existing SRHR services for Adolescents Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in and out of school, including the disabled.
  • To identify commonly sought services among AGYW, the availability of the services, and challenges being faced in accessing them
  • To analyze existing policies guiding SRH service provision .

The discussions buttressed the need to further build the capacity of service providers, especially on delivering SRH services to adolescent girls considering religious and cultural beliefs, ages of consent, and stigmatization. Thank you AmplifyChange for helping us maximize opportunities for adolescents and young women’s access to SRH awareness.

Global Action Week for Education (GAWE)

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The international Global Action Week for Education (GAWE) kicks off today – ( 24 April to 1 May ). The overarching theme for 2019 is ‘Making the right to an inclusive, equitable, quality, free public education a reality.’ This annual week of action calls on urgent attention to invest in the future of all learners world-wide. GAWE supports citizens and communities to claim their right to education, encompassing the realization of the full SDG4 agenda. FAWEZI will participate in the belated Zimbabwe GAWE commemorations in June of this year.

Update on FAWEZI Bursary Beneficiaries

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FAWEZI’s bursary support program is working! Check out who we have helped pass so far and be inspired to support more vulnerable girls and young women. To bring an out-of-school girl back into education, to help a young mom get her O levels, or to keep an at-risk girl in school, click the link! https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/fawezi-20-girls/

The SRHR Dialogues Continue

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More Sexual and Reproductive health Rights (SRHR) dialogues and more opportunities for FAWEZI to speak with school girls about the challenges they are facing. At Shamva’s Ming – Chang Primary School the girls echoed issues of harmful religious and cultural practices as one of the major threats to their well-being. We had an emotional session as we listened to the girls confide their fears regarding the prevalence of child marriages fueled by these beliefs and practices in their communities. We also spoke about Menstrual Health Management, children’s rights and responsibilities. Thank you AmplifyChange for supporting our work in maximizing the opportunities for adolescents and young women’s SRHR awareness.

More Sexual and Reproductive Health Talks

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More Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights #SRHR dialogues with our girls in schools. At Wadzanayi Primary and Secondary school in Shamva the girls proved to have information on most of the issues like menstrual hygiene and all forms of child abuse. The girls shared challenges on issues of harmful cultural beliefs – Chiramu and drug and substance abuse. Thank you AmplifyChange for funding our work and allowing us to foster and encourage dialogues on the multifaceted nature of SRHR.