Transformed Teenagers Club (TTC) handed over a donation of sanitary pads to 13 young girls at Ace Ministry church, Phase Four, Extension Eight, Tsietsi in Palm Ridge on September 25.
Each of the girls received two packs of pads and face cloths.
Although this is their first event and initiative dedicated to helping young girls to stay in school during their menstrual cycle, the NPO intends to host the event annually.
TTC treasurer and the media liaison officer Lindiwe Rasemetsa said the initiative is more than just donating pads, it is about empowering girls to be responsible teenagers who can make better decisions about their lives.
“Some of the girls even registered to join our organisation to be equipped with leadership skills and learn more from the mentors,” she added.
Rasemetsa said they observed some disadvantaged areas in Katlehong and they took the initiative to make a difference in those communities.
“We chose to donate sanity pads because we want to reduce menstruation poverty. We have observed that most girls do not go to school during their menstrual cycle,” said Rasemetsa.
The NPO is located at 197 Moshoeshoe Section, Katlehong.
They offer youth empowerment through:
• Drug and substance abuse education workshops for high school children
• Moral choices and how to make them for both children and community members
• Mentorship
• Career development
• Mandela Week project
• Book and homework club
• Visitations to orphanages and old age homes
• Radio and TV interviews
• Sports day
• Spiritual dance and poetry
Background
TTC is a registered NPO established in June 2015. The NPO aims to empower young people to guide and help them refrain from substance abuse.
It seeks to transform lives through rehabilitation and education.
The main mission of TTC is to empower, educate and rehabilitate young girls who will become ambassadors of change and spread the message, as well as support other girls who are influenced by peer pressure.
They established programmes that will help instil leadership skills and other social upliftment values in girls.
The founder of TTC, Smangele Bokaba, is an activist, a change agent, a midwife and an author.
She started the NPO when she noticed the rise of teenage pregnancies, substance abuse among, other things, that young person engaged in.
According to Rasemetsa, Bokaba made it her mission to put an end to the continued loss of potential young leaders to substance abuse and peer pressure.
Rasemetsa said Bokaba did it the only she knew how: to guide, empower and educate. Her motherly instincts led to her establishing the organisation. The changes are visible, as the number of girls in the NPO has rapidly increased, she added.
Bokaba said she aims to support, care and protect these girls. Through this organisation they should be committed and stay away from anything that will derail their lives, she said.
“I will work hard with other organisations to shape their lives by instilling behavioural change and ensuring they make responsible decisions while enjoying being young,” said Bokaba.
To contribute to this initiative contact Bokaba on 066 009 0563 or at smangeleAbokaba@gmail.com
