Eliminating Menstrual Poverty and Advocating for Rural Youth – Annle Ncube

By Wadzanayi Gorimani

Annle Ncube is redefining what it means to lead with purpose, turning skills into impact and advocacy into action.

A Teach For Zimbabwe third cohort alumna recruited under the Let Girls Thrive project (2023–2024), Annle used her fellowship to equip herself—and her learners—with practical, life-changing skills. From sewing reusable sanitary wear to making detergents, yoghurt, and bath gel, she ensured that education extended beyond the classroom and into everyday empowerment.

Driven by a deep commitment to girls’ education, Annle also led campaigns against early child marriages, earning recognition from community leaders in Binga, where she was placed. Her voice quickly became influential, leading to invitations to speak at community gatherings both within and beyond her district. She also extended her work to young mothers and school dropouts, ensuring no one was left behind.

After graduating from the fellowship in December 2024, Annle faced unemployment—but chose purpose over pause. In 2025, she began volunteering her time to train teachers across the district in making reusable sanitary pads. With approval from district education authorities, she moved from school to school, building a ripple effect of knowledge and empowerment.

Today, many of the teachers she trained are passing these skills on to their learners, multiplying her impact across the Binga community.

In her own words:

“As a passionate advocate for girls’ education, I have been on a mission to empower young girls in my community to thrive. I have been sharing my knowledge in schools and teaching teachers how to make reusable sanitary pads—a skill that helps girls stay in school and become self-sustaining.”

Annle’s advocacy has also reached national platforms. She was featured on 3K TV’s Ijanja youth programme, where she raised awareness on the importance of girls’ education and the urgent need to address teen pregnancies and child marriages. She has also spoken on radio, presenting findings from a youth-led vulnerability assessment that highlighted the challenges faced by young people in her community.

In 2025, she further strengthened her advocacy by participating in Amnesty International Zimbabwe’s Activist Circles Training and the Youth Power Action Training—an intensive programme focused on human rights, campaign design, media for activism, leadership, and wellness.

Annle’s journey is a powerful reminder that change does not require perfect conditions—only commitment. Through her work, she continues to ensure that girls are not held back by circumstances, but empowered to shape their own futures.