HARARE – As we celebrate International Women’s Month in March the CSR Network Zimbabwe will be profiling Zimbabwe Top women who are empowering other women who are putting the plight of disadvantaged women and girls first.
Theresa Nyava Machadu is the founder of Sanitary Aid Zimbabwe Trust. Sanitary Aid Zimbabwe Trust is a Zimbabwean based charitable organization fighting to eradicate period poverty in Zimbabwe through distribution of sanitary care products to disadvantaged groups of girls and women including the homeless, female prisoners, school girls and those with disabilities. We also provides menstrual health and hygiene education and we’re very instrumental in policy lobbying and advocacy.
Sanitary Aid was founded in 2018 by Theresa, who was inspired by her struggles to afford and access sanitary wear growing up which forced her to resort to layers of cloth and sometimes blanket stuffing’s. Theresa grew up in an extended family of 15, 7 of which were girls who needed at least 7 packets of sanitary wear every month. By finding Sanitary Aid Zimbabwe Trust, she never wanted to see any girl or woman to experience the same ordeal. Upwards of 50 000 girls and women across the country have to date benefited from her initiative.
A key highlight from the past year would be a project in Muzarabani where they delivered menstrual health education and distributed hygiene kits to learners in two schools in Muzarabani in partnership with No Barriers Education Foundation, an Australian based organization. They also trained form 4 and 6 girls of both schools to make reusable sanitary pads so as to equip them with skills they can use as they leave school.
Over the years Theresa has received accolades for her efforts some include 2019 Power Together Global Award, 2019 Giraffe Heroes Award, 2021 our very own CSR Award, 2021 Ignite Youth Award.
Are you a woman who is making a difference in your community? or do you know any woman who is making a difference in your community?
Kindly get in touch with us for a profiling opportunity this March, admin@csrnetworkzimbabwe.co.zw
