Sanitary towels impact on schooling

The Dalai Lama once said: “When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.”

In South Africa, education is a right and not a privilege, but an unfavourable background can infringe on this right.

Poverty is rife in our country, therefore those who are privileged enough should assist those who do not have.

It may sound like an overstatement, but there are many girls who come from poor families who miss school due to lack of sanitary pads.

This is a very unfortunate circumstance because it stands in the way of their education, the very tool they need to emancipate themselves from chronic poverty.

Missing a week of schooling cannot be overlooked and categorised as a little inconvenience, it has long-term psychological effects and can give birth to unbearable consequences.

I believe that businesswomen and those in politics can use their popularity to champion campaigns aimed at assisting these vulnerable girls.

No girl child should miss school simply because she cannot afford sanitary towels.

Business people should also donate sanitary towels and other toiletries. This move would uproot one of the constraints to access to education.

Malphia Honwane Gottenburg eManyeleti