Sanitary products to help girls
37 girls from Gillitts Primary School each received their own pack of Subz Pants and Pads.
GILLITTS Primary School, Grade 7 girls were each given a pack of Subz Pants and Pads, courtesy of Kloof Rotary Anns and Highway resident, Brenda McCann.
Subz Pants and Pads is the brain child of local entrepreneur Sue Barnes, who designed a fully washable, breathable, and sustainable absorbent sanitary pad that clips onto cotton panties.
McCann said these panties and pads, can last the girls for five years if used only during menstruation.
Following on from Subz, Barnes has set up a non-profit organisation called Project Dignity, to raise money to distribute the Subz packs to more schools throughout the country.
McCann decided to raise money for Project Dignity through her first 42km marathon.
Barnes was named Clarins Dynamic Woman of the Year for 2013/2014 for her design which was initiated after her daughter came home with a letter from school asking for sanitary towel donations for the underprivileged areas.
“After more research, Sue discovered 7 000 000 girls in South Africa miss a third of their school year because of their menstrual cycle.
“These young women cannot afford sanitary pants so, instead of embarrassing themselves, they stay at home rather than go to school,” she said.
McCann added that Gillitts Primary School is run by a very dynamic principal, Artie Jadoo.
The school has 380 pupils and there are 48 children per class, from Grade R to Grade 7.
“The school is one of Kloof Rotary Ann’s fundraising beneficiaries. The Kloof Rotary Anns have recently built a much needed library for the school.
McCann and Kloof Rotary Anns’ donation, enabled 37 girls to each receive their own pack of Subz Pants and Pads. Barnes also offers a full educational talk for the girls on puberty, their bodies, their reproductive organs and their menstrual cycle.
