COMMUNITY
OUR COMMUNITY STORIES
Pick ‘n Pay had a massive one-day sale on August 19 on their Maxi Sanitary Pads
The pads, which normally go for R59,99, were only R10 and people took to social media to take advantage of the sale and encouraged shoppers to contribute towards a bigger cause and buy pads for underprivileged girls.
In South Africa, many girls and women cannot afford sanitary products
Many impoverished young girls miss school due to this problem and although the numbers are known to be high, Africa Check reported there is no accurate data on how many girls are affected.
The project, in association with the Imbumbu Foundation’s Caring4Girls project, initially aimed to amass over one million sanitary towels between September 14 and mid-October 2015.
The campaign collected over 1 million pads last year, and this year they went for it again selling 8 pads for R9.95
Although the sale is over, Dis-Chem and the students from Citizens ZA are still running pad drives and are calling for more people to get involved.
​
TELL US YOUR STORY:
OR WRITE TO US:
There are many people and corporate companies trying to assist these girls with this monthly struggle to purchase feminine hygiene products. Pick 'n Pay ran a massive discount sale, where pads were reduce form R59 to R10 and they encouraged shoppers to buy an donate pads. Dischem runs a promotion and awareness program where for each packet of pads purchased and donated by the consumer they will get the supplier to donate another pack of the same product. There are companies which make reusable pads and supply a pack of washable pads and underwear with clips to fasten the pads to them. These can last up to two years for women in remote areas. There are also other NGO and NPO collecting funds and buying pads & or collecting pads & supplying them to girls all over South Africa. Harmony hopes to work along side and support these NPOs and NGOs wherever possible, we all have the same goal TO LET OUR GIRLS STAY AT SCHOOL WITH DIGNITY DURING THERE MENSTUATION.
Kgomotso is the founder of SAAC , this young woman also started an NGO collecting pads and tampons for needy girls she couldn't bear that her peers could not attend school due to their monthly menstruation.
Harmony doesn't want to provide sanitary pads to girls on an infrequent basis; we strive to offer girls a consistent, reliable supply of menstrual pads every month. For that, we require a steady stream of donations, and a surplus in donations will result in expanding our operation to additional recipients.
Independent Media, in partnership with Dis-Chem and the Dis-Chem Foundationis embarking on a second year of the Million Comforts campaign launched in 2015.
Riding on the success of the campaign that brought in over 1,6 million sanitary padslast year, key role players are aiming to amass over two million sanitary towels between June 14 and 24 July.
In conjunction with Caring4Girls, #MillionComforts aims to assist in keeping two million girls in schoolby 2020, with no interruptions to her education during her monthly menstrual cycle.
The 2016 project is calling on the customers of Dis-Chem pharmacies and readers of Independent Media publications to assist in reaching the target.
It is estimated that girls between the ages of 12 and 18 in disadvantaged areascan miss a fifth of their schooling during menstruation when they stay at home because they do not have access to feminine hygiene products or are unable to buy their own.
“We are delighted to once again be in partnership with Independent Media and Caring4Girls, this initiative is critical to ensure young girls stay in school. This in turn will assist them with their potential, self-value and opportunities to thrive while ensuring sustainable feminine hygiene,” said Lynette Saltzman, Founder of the Dis-Chem Foundation .
http://dischem.co.za/articles/15308-dis-chem-foundation/22364-a-million-comforts-2016-launches
There are many young people in our communities who can't offer financial support but they trying to create an awareness of the issue and to stop the secrecy and taboo around menstruation, bleeding and sanitary pads or feminine hygiene products. The more people become aware of the issue the more chance we have of supporting those in need and getting people to help resolve the issue. Menstruation is a normal bodily function, just like breathing, urinating, it should not be something for women to be ashamed of we should be celebrating our womanhood and fertility.
Another young student dressed up as a pad for Halloween to raise awareness. Well done, Tanya Richards! Her Facebook post is good reading.
