Sanitary-towels drive targets 15 000

HAVING donated just more than 5 000 sanitary towels to needy schoolgirls last year, an Eastern Cape non-government organisation is embarking on a campaign to triple that amount by the end of next month.

SM foundation and A Random Act Of Kindness (AROK) are hoping to collect 15 000 sanitary towels through their #HelpAGirlInNeed campaign.

The sanitary towels will be handed over to some schools in Mdantsane and other East London villages, Embhekweni and Nxarhuni.

SM foundation donated 5 000 sanitary towels last year, but this year they have teamed up with AROK.

Because they cannot afford to buy sanitary towels, some young girls from previously disadvantaged backgrounds end up dropping out of school.

But SM foundation founder Sinovuyo Mzongwana is on a drive to ensure that more young girls are not caught off guard when they start menstruating and that they do not suffer the humiliation of not having sanitary towels. “This is my chance to give back to the community. The youth supports me by attending my [music] events.”

AROK founder Philani Mpanza said he was pleased to be a part of the campaign.

“When I started this organisation I wanted to do something different and make a huge difference,” he said.

“We are old enough to understand that women go through this because they are women. There is nothing more important than taking care of the women of tomorrow,” Mzongwana said.

To help realise the goal of collecting the targeted 15 000 sanitary towels, you can drop off your contribution at one of the many drop-off points: Dischem, Pick n Pay, Edgars at Hemingways Mall, Mdantsane City Mall at Pick n Pay, Mdantsane FM, and Capitec Bank in Terminus Street in the East London city centre.