Engen visits Minerva and Realogile schools in Alex and pledges R1. 5m to Caring4Girls
Engen visited Realogile and Minerva high schools in Alexandra to launch Imbumba Foundation’s Caring4Girls sanitary towels initiative and also delivered close to 2 000 pads to female learners.
Engen has extended its support of the Imbumba Foundation’s Caring4Girls initiative that seeks to provide female learners with sanitary towels to help keep them in school during their monthly cycles, for the fourth year.
The campaign was launched in Alexandra with 1 032 hygiene hampers disseminated at Realogile High School and 758 at Minera High School which are both Alexandra.
Engen’s pledge of R1.5 million takes its total support over the past three years to R3.5 million, with 24 065 female learners receiving support in the three years to date. This year’s campaign will reach a further 1 400 female learners at 22 schools, across all nine provinces.
Research shows that underprivileged girls miss up to 50 days of school per year due to inaccessible feminine hygiene care.
“We cannot thrive as a society if some of our female learners are left behind because they are unable to attend school due to feminine hygiene issues, which is why we are proud to partner with the Imbumba Foundation and contribute to this meaningful initiative,” said Engen managing director and CEO, Seelan Naidoo.
Imbumba Foundation CEO Richard Mabaso said the Caring4Girls programme creates a voice for girls in addition to distributing sanitary materials. “Caring4Girls also provides health education on puberty and adolescence, to demystify menstrual-related myths and break down societal taboos, while promoting positive body literacy and autonomy, as well as gender equality.”
