RESTORING DIGNITY -END PERIOD POVERTY

Angels Palace Report on Restoring Dignity and Ending Period Poverty

Reporting Period: January – September 2025
Location: Chegutu Rural District

1. Priority Area Monitored

This report covers the Restoring Dignity and Ending Period Poverty Initiative, focusing on improving menstrual health and hygiene support for adolescent girls in rural communities.

2. Executive Summary

From January to September 2025, Angels Palace has successfully supported 150 girls in rural Chegutu with sanitary wear, hygiene packs, and dignity awareness sessions. This intervention has helped reduce absenteeism from school due to lack of menstrual products and has promoted self-esteem and health among young girls.

Although we have not yet raised funding through global platforms such as GlobalGiving, local efforts and community-driven support have allowed us to sustain this critical program. The initiative demonstrates strong impact and high potential for growth, provided more resources are mobilized.

3. Introduction

Period poverty remains a silent barrier to education and well-being for many girls in rural Zimbabwe. The lack of access to affordable sanitary products often forces girls to miss school or resort to unsafe alternatives, compromising both health and dignity.

Angels Palace launched this initiative to bridge the gap by distributing sanitary pads, conducting menstrual health education, and engaging communities to break the stigma surrounding menstruation.

4. Objectives

The objectives of this initiative are:

• To ensure that no girl misses school because of menstruation.

• To restore dignity and promote health by providing access to sanitary products.

• To raise awareness and reduce stigma around menstrual health within communities.

• To build a sustainable model that can eventually reach more girls across Chegutu and beyond.

5. Methodology

• Distribution Drives: Sanitary pads and hygiene packs were distributed directly to schools and community centers.

• Awareness Sessions: Health talks and workshops conducted for girls and community members.

• Monitoring & Feedback: Direct feedback was collected from beneficiaries and teachers to assess improvements in attendance and confidence.

6. Findings

• Number of Girls Supported: 150 rural girls (January – September 2025).

• Geographic Coverage: Chegutu Rural District (focus on schools in outlying communities).

• Immediate Outcomes:

  • Reduction in absenteeism reported by teachers.

  • Increased confidence among girls during school participation.

  • Positive community engagement, especially from parents and teachers.

7. Analysis, Challenges, and Recommendations

Progress & Impact:
The project has shown that even small-scale interventions can significantly improve girls’ educational outcomes and well-being.

Challenges:

• Limited resources restrict scale; only 150 girls supported so far.

• No external funding raised yet from platforms such as GlobalGiving.

• Continued stigma and silence around menstrual health in some communities.

Recommendations:

• Strengthen local partnerships for sustainability.

• Expand awareness campaigns targeting both boys and girls to normalize menstrual health discussions.

• Continue exploring international fundraising opportunities while leveraging community-driven solutions.

8. Conclusion (Lessons Learnt)

This initiative confirms that restoring dignity is not just about providing sanitary pads, but also about empowering girls to thrive in school and life without shame or barriers. While financial constraints remain, the success of reaching 150 girls to date shows the resilience of the Angels Palace vision and the importance of community-centered action.

Angels Palace remains committed to ending period poverty in Chegutu and aspires to scale this work so that every girl can go to school with dignity.