Mangena announced the news during her two days sanitary towels roadshow last week.

She distributed sanitary towels to girls in eight schools, two on June 27 two in each cluster of the municipality.

“We are going to do this (distribute sanitary towels) each and every month” said Mangena during her address at Magoza High School where she received a thunderous welcome from the pupils.

She said girls should never miss school because they cannot afford sanitary towels.

She also promised to celebrate her birthday in September with the girls at Letaba Special School

The school caters for people living with disabilites, mostly the visually impaired and wheel chair bound.

Omega Shikwambana, a 21 year-old grade 12 learner at Progress Secondary School, said “Today we are fortunate because the mayoress campaign came to our school with sanitary pads for donation to all the girls, we are so glad because no one is ever going to skip school because of menstruation.”

I hope that she can do this to other girls in all the schools”.

Omega’s words were echoed by Neo Mafokwane, a grade 12 learner from Magoza High school who said “As learners we are excited to have received these pads, this will help us, especially the needy.”

On the 27th she visited Letaba Special School in Nkowankowa, Progress in Nkowankowa Township, Magoza at DanVillage, Lebitso in Pharare Village and Mokwane Mogapeng Village.

On the 28 she visited Mark Shope in N’wamitwa Village, Kelekese in Moleketla Village and Motlhatlhego Machaba and Motupa Primary in Motupa Village.

The first lady secured 8000 packets of sanitary towels each containing 10 ultra-thin pads.

She secured the towels through the help of Wisani Burial Society.

Research shows that lack of sanitary towels result in young women from poorer backgrounds missing school at least four days a month.

These women lose their human dignity because they often use old newspapers and cloths in the place of sanitary pads.

She was accompanied by councillors and the members of the Men Forum and Gender Forum.

The first lady’s entourage proceeded to Mark Shope, Mohlatlego Matshaba and Kheleketsha High Schools on June 28.

They were warmly welcomed by learners, teachers and principals who were excited to receive the sanitary towels.

Bridgette Baloyi heartily thanked Wisani Burial for sponsoring the first lady’s sanitary campaign on behalf of Mark Shope High School.

“Thank you for thinking of us, some of our parents are unemployed and cannot afford to buy us pads every month, we are forced to use unhealthy towels and sometimes bunk school when we are on our periods.

”Collen Ratsatsi, Head of Department of Mohlatlego Matshaba also commended the first lady’s campaign and encouraged her to continue with the good deeds.

“We are very grateful to the first lady and we hope that you continue with this campaign, it does not only bring our students relief, it also brings us relief as their teachers as we are the ones who watch them struggle with this problem.

“I am happy because learners will benefit from this campaign every month, their parents will use the money for their

sanitary towels for other household needs in their families, we are grateful to Wisani Burial for making this campaign possible through their contribution, Said the first lady.

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