Matheus Hamutenya
Aroab-Many schoolgirls in rural areas are unable to afford sanitary pads and thus choose to rather sit at home during their menstrual periods and thus miss a lot of lessons.
But Henry Jongwe of Henima Investment cc says no child should miss school due to lack of sanitary pads, which prompted him to donate 1,119 sanitary pads to rural schools in the Keetmanshoop rural constituency.
Handing over the pads at Aroab on Friday, Jongwe said after hearing from different media platforms on the negative impacts the lack of sanitary pads have on rural girls, he decided to do something to help improve the situation.
He further said it is a big concern if schoolgirls miss classes just because they cannot afford sanitary pads. All children deserve to be in school and it is up to people in communities to ensure that this happens, he said.
“I hold the view that it is every Namibian child’s right to be educated, and to see or hear about a child that has given up on her school because of lack of items such as sanitary pads is heart-breaking,” said Jongwe.
He added that the Namibian president’s Harambee Prosperity Plan is very clear on inclusivity, and this should apply to education as well and thus all children should have access to education, and he urged everyone to do the little they can to assist one another, especially in this dire economic situation.
“In today’s economic hardship my motto is each one should help one, so we at Henima still contribute to the betterment of children in rural areas, particularly the girls in respect of safe sanitary or menstrual hygiene contribution,” he said.
He pledged more support as long as the company can afford it, saying they are willing to assist where they can, as long as their contribution has a positive outcome of benefitting communities.
!Garib circuit inspector Jesmine Magerman and Keetmanshoop rural constituency councillor Elias !Kharuxab received the donation, and the pads will be distributed at various schools in the constituency.
Magerman briefly thanked Henima, saying many learners do not attend classes as they do not have sanitary pads, and they’d rather stay home when menstruating thus missing a lot of lessons, and therefore the donation will assist in making sure girls are in school.
“I have come to realise that many of our learners leave to go home due to lack of pads, so we are really thankful for this donation,” she said.