Help girls not to miss out on education

THERE is still a week to go for South Africans to donate to the Million Comforts Campaign.

In partnership with the Saturday Star, Weekend Argus, Independent on Saturday and Pretoria News Weekend, the DisChem Foundation is urging South Africans to donate sanitary towels to make sure that not a single girl misses school this year because it’s that time of the month.

Just visit a Dis-Chem store and either buy one of the specially priced in-house sanitary towels for under R10 and drop it off in one of the specially branded bins in-store.

If you buy sanitary towels from Always, Lil-lets and Stayfree, these manufacturers will match your donation, one for one.

Studies show girls between the ages of 12 and 18 living in poverty can lose up to a fifth of their high school education because they do not have access to feminine hygiene products – and are too embarrassed to attend school during their menstrual period.

#Million Comforts and Caring4Girls seek to answer the twin problem of sanitary towels and social taboos – with your help.

“This initiative is not just critical to ensuring girls stay in school, but to break the chains that would otherwise condemn them to a life of poverty and hopelessness,” says Dis-Chem Foundation chair Lynette Saltzman.

“By being able to complete school with the best possible matric qualification, they can go out and make use of every opportunity that comes their way and create the better life they deserve.”

Million Comforts works with Imbumba Vision, which distributes a year’s worth of sanitary towels and provides training.

Be part of the fight against stigma and help us help the future mothers of the nation by dropping off a donation.