Donate a sanitary towel to a girl pupil in need

TEENAGE girls living in poverty can lose up to a fifth of their high school careers through shame when it’s that time of the month.

Between now and Sunday, though, you can make a difference at a Dis-Chem store and donate a sanitary towel, as part of the Million Comforts campaign, which is being run in partnership with the Cape Times to ensure no girl misses school this year because she’s having her period.

At Dis-Chem, you can either buy the in-house brand at under R10 or one of the sanitary towels from Always, Lil-Lets or StayFree, who will then match your donation by adding another towel to your gift.

This worthwhile charity is also controlled: every pack that is donated is audited and stored at the local branch.

The donations are then collected by Caring4Girls once or twice a week, as the need determines, and then held in their regional warehouses across the country.

All pads stay in the region in which they were donated and then taken to selected schools.

There are participating schools in every province, with an extra 20 schools added this year.

As Dis-Chem’s, Penny Stein, explains: “Each girl gets six packs against signature and her ID number, then a picture is taken of her and circulated to the school principal and teachers to let them know who is on the project to ensure there is no absenteeism blamed on menstruation.

“We don’t just give them to you, you get a lecture on feminine hygiene, there’s a register and then in four months’ time, Caring4Girls goes back to the school for a follow-up visit and to issue the next four months’ worth of sanitary towels.

“This way, we ensure that everyone is accountable, that the programme is sustainable and that the donations get to where they are supposed to be – the girls in need.

“Logistically it’s a monster.”

The Million Comforts campaign runs in all DisChem stores until Sunday. Look out for the purple branded bin in store.