In a bid to eradicate menstrual poverty and general impoverishment, Katswe Sistahood and its partners trained girls and young women in Torwood, Kwekwe to manufacture reusable pads and detergents.
The empowerment program sought to fight against Gender-Based Violence and violence against women since many cases of abuse against women and girls emanate from a lack of financial stability.
Speaking to Impact Stories Zimbabwe on the sidelines of the Nzwika Festival held at Torwood Stadium last Tuesday, some of the beneficiaries of the program applauded the organisations behind the empowerment program meant to fight poverty.
“I would like to thank Katswe Sistastood and the Women’s Affairs Ministry for the skills.
“I am also free from the monthly stress of buying pads because I can make them for myself. I am also making money by selling the pads in our neighbourhood, in clinics where women need pads after giving birth and in the nearby rural areas,” said Kelly Ngwenya (20).
Ngwenya also narrated the problems that most girls face because of period poverty.
“Menstrual poverty is real and most girls are abused because they need money to buy pads, it is actually a monthly burden that stresses a lot.
“Period poverty also causes violence against women and girls because one will be forced to ask for money from men who can abuse her physically or emotionally,” she said.
Another young woman, Enifa Svikiro (21) who is now into detergent making, applauded the empowerment program.
“I was trained in detergent making and I am making a living out of it. My parents are happy because I can now take care of my children from my business,” said Svikiro.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises and Katswe Sistahood held a festival in Torwood where girls and women were given the opportunity to express themselves through music, poetry and drama.
“Nzwika festival is an opportunity that we have given women to express themselves through drama, poetry and music because we understand that girls and young women go through a lot, yet they do not get the chance to express themselves,” said Katswe Sistahood Kwekwe district Coordinator Chengetai Chininga.
The program was supported by Diakonia.
