The People’s Own Savings Bank (POSB) has delivered a year’s supply of sanitary pads to girls at Siachilaba Secondary School in Binga, deepening its efforts to keep students in class and improve menstrual health for learners in underserved communities.
The donation, announced on November 18, forms part of the bank’s “Donate a Pad and Keep a Girl in School” initiative, which pools contributions from staff members who either give sanitary pads directly or donate leave days that are converted into cash.
POSB matches all staff contributions, allowing the programme to reach more schools in remote parts of the country. Siachilaba becomes the latest beneficiary after recent support to Neruvanga Secondary School in Masvingo.
Each girl received pads sufficient for twelve months, a level of support school officials say will help reduce absenteeism and improve concentration in the classroom.
Studies cited by the bank note that roughly 70 percent of Zimbabwean schoolgirls have limited access to proper menstrual products, often resorting to unsafe alternatives such as old cloths or even cow dung.
Garainashe Changunda, POSB’s chief executive, said the bank views menstrual health as a central obstacle to education equity.
“As the people’s bank, POSB is dedicated to making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve, especially in remote districts such as Binga,” he said.
“Every girl deserves access to proper sanitary wear so she can pursue her education without interruption.”
Changunda added that schools remain at the core of the bank’s wider community investment strategy.
In recent months, POSB has supplied pads to additional rural schools and equipped seven schools in Gokwe, Chipinge, Bubi, and Bindura with 5kVA solar kits to support digital learning and improve access to reliable power.
The donation comes as the bank rolls out an $8.7 million Solar and Starlink Facility designed to help schools, households and small businesses access affordable solar systems and high-speed internet.
POSB says the programme aims to narrow the digital and energy divide that continues to separate rural learners from their urban counterparts.
At Siachilaba, Deputy Head Njabulo Moyo said the support will make an immediate difference.
“This generous gesture from POSB will significantly improve our girls’ health, confidence, and school attendance,” he said. “They can now focus on their studies without the burden of managing menstrual hygiene.”
Parents, traditional leaders and community members attended the handover ceremony, praising the bank for maintaining a sustained focus on the education and well-being of girls in rural Zimbabwe.
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