Donate your share of comforts
MORE than 4 million packs of sanitary towels had been donated by the start of this week towards this year’s Million Comforts campaign.
The 2017 edition of the campaign, which is run by the DisChem Foundation in partnership with the Cape Times, ends on Sunday, and we are appealing to our readers to go out and make a difference.
All you have to do is visit your local Dis-Chem store and buy one of the specially priced packs of in-house sanitary towels for under R10 and drop it off in one of the specially branded purple-coloured bins.
Or, if you buy a pack of sanitary towels from Always, Lil-lets or Stayfree, these manufacturers will match your donation, one for one.
Studies show that girls between the ages of 12 and 18 living in poverty in urban and rural areas can lose up to a fifth of their high school education because they don’t have access to female 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 chairperson 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 that better life they so deserve.”
Million Comforts works hand in hand with Imbumba Vision, which not only distributes a year’s worth of sanitary towels to the recipients, but also provides training.
Be part of the fight against stigma and help us help the future mothers of the nation by dropping off your donation in store until Sunday.
The top 15 Dis-Chem stores by donation thus far have been:
1. Rosebank, 2. Benmore, 3. Athol Oaklands, 4. Randridge, 5. Clearwater Mall, 6. Worcester, 7. Norwood, 8. Menlyn Mall, 9. The Local Choice, 10. Nicolway, 11. Montana, 12. Killarney Mall, 13. Ballito, 14. Roodepoort, 15. Victory Park.