Needy girls and teachers from Realogile Secondary School can thank Mandela Day for changing their negative perception of policemen.
This after police officers, who are members of the Men For Change organisation at Alexandra Police Station, in partnership with their counterparts in the police’s Women’s Network, donated sanitary towels to the group of girls who were accompanied to the station by their teachers.
The pads were obtained from the police officers’ personal contributions and donations from Radio Veritas and Netcare.
Girls from disadvantaged backgrounds and child-headed homes are said to miss a third of school per year due to their menstrual cycle and lack of sanitary towels.
Lydia Sekhoto, a teacher at Realogile Secondary School, said the school supported the pupils with food during the school day and sometimes provided food parcels for the pupils to share with their families over the weekends. However, the school relied on external support for pads.
“This makes them miss school and impacts their performance and future,” Sekhoto said.
Her counterpart, teacher Mable Maboa, said the donation would also assist to stop a general perception that police were monsters. “It’s very touching when such support comes from them, showing their softer side, in addition to their role in fighting crime and criminals,” she said.
Mahadi Buthelezi from the radio station thanked the police’s gesture, saying it was in accordance with Mandela and the general human spirit of giving and helping beyond race, age and gender.
Police chaplain, Captain Chaka Motanyane said they embarked on the campaign for the sanitary towels to assist the needy girls as part of giving back to the community after realising that most of them stayed at home during their menstrual cycles as their parents could not afford to buy pads.
Motanyane said the police’s responsibility went beyond combating crime and would bring change to the community. The police also intended to extend the support to other high schools in Alexandra.
