Female Pilot Launches Pad2Prosper Campaign
STAFF WRITER
In commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Mercy Kamanura, a private pilot and founder of Mimi’s Empowerment Centre (MEC), launched the Pad2Prosper Campaign in Hopely Community, Harare South.
The campaign advocates for installing pad-making machines in every community to provide sustainable sanitary solutions for girls and young women, along with practical skills training, sexual reproductive health education, and career guidance.
MEC partnered with Youth Ensembles, a local youth community-based organization, to bring together 104 girls and young women, including teen mothers, for a day of engagement and empowerment.
Guest of Honor Brian Sithole, a Zimbabwe Youth Council board member and ZiFM News Broadcaster, encouraged the young women to register their businesses and monetize their skills.
“This initiative is crucial for our community’s growth. We want to see girls and young women register and run their businesses, utilizing Zimbabwe’s women empowerment and youth banks,” he emphasized.
Mr. Dhliwayo from Harare City Council welcomed MEC, praising the partnership. “We are committed to supporting young women and girls in Hopely Community. MEC has come at the right time, complementing our programs to support the girl child and young women. Thank you MEC for giving us these pads, we are so grateful”
Cynthia Makaza, a 23-year-old participant, expressed excitement about upcoming skills development programs. “I am eager to learn and start my own business, doing motor mechanics and opening my own garage, employing people, including men.”
Kamanura shared her inspiring journey as a private pilot and MEC founder. “As one of the 7% female pilots worldwide, I want to empower girls to pursue their dreams and affirm that it’s possible to be who you want to be as a young woman.”
Mercy’s passion for menstrual equity ignited during her high school days as a Junior Councilor in Chitungwiza. Through her work conducting case studies for the council, she gained a deeper understanding of the challenges girls faced in her community. This experience inspired her desire to support the girl child with menstrual hygiene management, ultimately leading her to launch the Pad2Prosper Campaign.
During deliberations, girls raised pressing issues, including lack of practical skills, teenage motherhood, school dropouts, and inadequate sanitary facilities. Anna, a young girl from Hopely, emotionally shared the kind of materials they use as sanitary wear. “We use uncomfortable and unhealthy materials as sanitary wear, like old t-shirts and worn-out socks. “
Shackman Mandishona, the Pad2Prosper campaign coordinator, highlighted the initiative’s emphasis on self-sufficiency. “Beyond donations, our campaign incorporates skills development, enabling young women to generate income. Furthermore, the introduction of a pad-making machine, operated by the beneficiaries themselves, will guarantee long-term accessibility” he added