Drive for sanitary towels to give girls a chance

INDEPENDENT Media, Dis-Chem Pharmacy and the Imbumba Foundation’s Caring4Girls project are committed to collecting a million sanitary towels for girls who stay out of school when they cannot afford to buy their own products.

The Imbumba Foundation says it is estimated that girls between the ages of 12 and 18 in disadvantaged areas can miss up to a quarter of their schooling when menstruating because they do not have access to adequate sanitary protection or are unable to afford them.

Richard Mabaso, head of the foundation, says providing sanitary towels to girls has can have a practical impact on school attendance. The inaugural Million Comforts drive campaign kicks off today, and will end next month.

Dis-Chem has placed branded drop-bins in their 88 stores for people to donate sanitary towels during the four-week period of the campaign.

The drive is part of the Imbumba Foundation’s Vision 2020 which aims to develop a generation of young leaders who inspire their communities and peers to greater efforts to improve opportunities in rural areas.

Mabaso said the main objective of the programme is to educate and assist. “We provide puberty and menstrual hygiene training to underprivileged girls, support them with sanitary towels for a minimum period of one year and give each girl a menstrual hygiene booklet.”

Three major sanitary towel suppliers, Always, Lillets and Stayfree have committed to donating a large quantity of pads.

Founder of the Dis-Chem Foundation, Lynette Saltzman, is confident the initiative will assist in keeping girls in school. “We are delighted to 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, selfvalue and opportunities to thrive while ensuring sustainable feminine hygiene,” Saltzman said.

Independent Media’s group executive for marketing and communications Lutfia Vayej said: “Through our publications we reach in excess of five million people on a daily basis, and millions more on our online platforms.

“We believe that our partnership with this project will help many young women realise their full potential with the knowledge that they can now attend school regularly.”

Follow the collection progress on Dis-Chem’s social media sites and find more information in stores or in its “Healthy Living” catalogue, which will be published in the next few weeks. You can also follow a progress barometer which will be published in Independent Media’s titles from Wednesday. michael.nkalane@inl.co.za

@siyaks