Makoma Maponya (22) is the founder of the foundation and believes that a girl-child’s education should not be on pause because of periods.

Maponya an Honours degree student in Strategic Communication and a second year tutor at the University of Johannesburg started the foundation last year where she donated sanitary pads to over 150 girls at the same school.

“As a young woman, I realised how uncomfortable menstruation can be especially when it starts on a day when you didn’t expect.

I was on my period when I realised that I did not have any sanitary pads with me, I used a tissue for about 10 minutes while I drove to the store to get some.

Then it dawned on me that not every young girl has the luxury that I have. After conducting research, I found that millions of girls in South Africa miss school because they cannot afford to buy pads,” said Maponya.

Mapanyo together with adventurer, Nyiko Masango embarked on a hike last month to try and raise funds to buy the pads and menstrual cups. The hike was a success with 40 people joining the hike and R4500 was raised on the occasion.

As a result on July 31 she went back to Mahlane to donate pads to 200 learners and also introduced menstrual cups to the girls.

This led to a shift in the focus of the campaign from donating sanitary pads to adding menstrual cups and educating the girls on this new idea as well as menstrual hygiene management.

“The cups cost about R150 to R200 for one but where one woman uses up to 10 items of sanitary protection every period, you only need one menstrual cup and it lasts for up to five years.

The cups are the most economical sanitary product you can buy and will give me the chance to educate and donate to more than one school,” also added Maponya.

Only 30 girls chose to try the cups and she is still left with 15 cups to give to other girls who would like to give it a try.

Maponya however expressed that teaching the girls about the cups was not easy as most of them did not even know how to use a mere tampon but she will return to the school to check on the progress with the cups.

Visit the Tzaneen Teach a Girl Foundation Facebook page or contact the founder, Makoma Maponya on 079 898 1902.

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