GWANDA SOUTH – Uzulu weZimbabwe, ikakhulu ohlala emaphandleni, usekhuthazwe ukuba athathe ukuthomba kwamantombazana njengengxenye yempilo futhi ewahlomise ukuze athole ukuhlanzeka ngesikhathi esesikhathini njalo abe lolwazi olujulileyo ngokukhula kowesifazana.
Inkuthazo le iphume emkhosini wokunanza usuku lweMenstrual Hygiene Day oqhutshelwe esigabeni seMapate, eGwanda South ngeviki edluleyo.
Linkuthazo iza ngesikhathi abesifazana abanengi eZimbabwe bebikwa besebenzisa izinto ezifana lobulongwe kanye amalembu angalungelanga ukuzinakelela ngesikhathi besenyangeni ngoba bengelamali yokuthenga ama-sanitary pads.
Izimuli ezinengi emaphandleni zibikwa zingavuleki zixoxisane lamantombazana ngodaba lokuthomba, okudala ukuthi amanye esebenzisa yiloba yini nxa esikhathini, okulakho ukuphazamisa impilakahle yawo.
“Udaba lokuthomba ludaba ebelungathi lufihlakele kakhulu, ludaba abalutshwane abenelisa ukukhuluma ngalo,” kutsho usikomitshi waseGwanda uMnu Thulani Moyo ekhuluma emkhosini weMenstrual Hygiene Day.
“Ngakho ngithanda ukubonga inhlanganiso zonke eziphathekileyo lamhlanje ukuqoqa lumhlangano ukuze sixoxisane sikubone egcekeni ukuthi umntwana oyinkazana uyathomba njalo ngalesosikhathi sedinga sonke.”
UMoyo uthe njalo kuyadingeka ukuthi obaba labo baphatheke kunhlelo zokuhlanzeka kwabantwababo lapho besesikhathini.
Uthe, “Silomlandu sonke singabakhokheli ukuthi sixhase umntwana ngesikhathi esesikhathini, lathi asisali emuva ngomtwana oyinkazana sithi umntwana oyinkazana kaxhwaswe, kadonswe engasali emuva abesesimweni esingcono kusiyafika u2030.”
Amazwi kaMoyo agcizelelwe nguNkosazana Simelweyinkosi Sibindi olilunga leGwanda Rural District Council.
“Akusakhathalekile ukuthi ungumalume kumbe ungubani uyakhuluma laye umntwana ukuthi kumele kwenziweni njalo ukuya esikhathini siyithathe njengemvelo loba yini eyenzakala kubomama kumbe amantombazana ehambelana lokuthomba, asikunanzeleleni sibone ukuthi bayathola indingeko zabo,” kutsho uMaSibindi.
UNkosikazi Nicola Sibanda umqoqi wenhlelo zeZimbabwe Health Interventions (ZHI) laye ukhuthaze abesilisa ukuthi baphatheke empilweni zabesifazane.
“Uzathola ukuthi umntwana ukhuliswa ngumalume kumbe ubaba engxenye umama kakho,” kutsho uSibanda. “Umuntu ongubaba kumele abekwazi ukuthi umntwana uyahamba esikhathini akwanise ukuthi amthengele ama-pads hanti sikhangelele ukuthi sinanzelele ukuthomba njengemvelo njengento ekhona.”
Omunye okhulume kulumbuthano nguNkosazana Kudzai Mpofu owenhlanganiso yeDreams, yena ethe ukwehluleka kwabazali ukuthengela abantwababo indingeko zokuya esikhathini kubafaka engozini enkulu.
“Sananzelela ukuthi nxa kuyikuthi umntwana uyaziswela lezodingeko kuyamfuqa ukuthi awele engozini, engozini yokudlwengulwa, engozini yokubamba umkhuhane weHIV,” kutsho uMaMpofu.
“Uzatshayisana lejaha elizamnika i$1 lama-pads ngoba umama uthi yena kalamali, umuntu uyakwanisa ukuthi ngoba sekunike i$1 lama-pads abone sengathi selelungelo lokuzenzela umathanda.”
Lanxa inengi lamantombazana lisehluleka ukuthola okudingikalayo nxa lisesikhathini, inhlanganiso ezizimeleyo ziyabaphathisa abesifazana, kutsho uNkosikazi Buhlebenkosi Moyo oyisiphathamandla sogatsha lukahulumende olubona ngeziphathelane labesifazane.
Uthe, “Asitholi okulinganayo, omunye umntwana uyamthola ebuya lelembu licine libonakala ukuthi lihlezi laphana, akumelanga sihleke lowomntwana. Siyabonga inhlanganiso ezinjengeZHI, sibona bencedisa kakhulu kulezinhlelo ikakhulu lapha engikhona.”
Umkhankaso walonyaka oweMenstrual Hygiene Day uqhutshwe phansi kwesihloko esithi, “Making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030” okutsho ukuthi ukunanzelela ukuthomba njengemvelo yempilo kusiyafika ku2030.
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