A Birmingham schoolgirl – with the support of Tarmac – is raising awareness of period poverty and the challenges facing young girls going through puberty.
Zuva Mumbe, aged just 12, was so incensed by the high prices of sanitary products, and their lack of availability in schools, she started campaigning to make them free to girls who needed them.
And Tarmac employees at the A34 Highways Improvement Scheme – after hearing of Zuva’s efforts – donated boxes of feminine hygiene products, helping to champion the cause she started.
Zuva set up a GoFundMe page and an Instagram handle @itshouldbefree.period to carry on supporting what is a natural occurrence in the lives of over 50 per cent of the population.
She said: “Sanitary products are expensive and a lot of families struggle to afford them; hence the term ‘period poverty’.
“It’s challenging enough for girls to adjust to the life-changing reality of menstruation without resorting to using toilet paper, a rag or the same pad all day.”
Tsungai Mumbe, Zuva’s mother, who is the social value coordinator for Tarmac, working at the A34 Perry Barr project, said: “We were shopping one day, and she was horrified at the price of sanitary products. She said ‘Mum, I didn’t realise tampons were so expensive.’
“Zuva is a voracious reader and very socially-aware. After researching the issue, she came across the term ‘period poverty’ but, despite knowing it was a global problem, she never expected it to be so prevalent in the UK where condoms are free but NOT sanitary products.
“So, she started the campaign to reach out to companies who could donate sanitary products and tampon machines.”
Tarmac, with a strong female-led employee community, known as Female Voice, was proud to support the initiative.
Ian Bingham, senior project manager for Tarmac, added: “Young Zuva has shown remarkable maturity and caring with her campaign in what is often seen as a taboo subject. We were happy to support her efforts in raising awareness of the issue.”
