Studies show that girls between 12 and 18 who live in poverty are deprived of about 20% of their high school education because they cannot afford feminine hygiene products and are too embarrassed to go to school during menstruation.
The Dis-Chem Foundation, which is committed to improving the lives of all South Africans, is a beneficiary of Dis-Chem Group’s Benefits Programme. This means that Dis-Chem and Baby City Benefit Card members support the Foundation every time they shop and swipe their cards at both retailers because a percentage of the purchase value is donated to the Dis-Chem Foundation to help supplement the funds.
The Million Comforts Campaign is an ongoing Foundation initiative aiming to provide sanitary products every year to teenage girls in need. Running since 2015, Million Comforts is devoted to the empowerment of schoolgirls, raising awareness about women’s health, and giving these girls the opportunity to continue their education without the burden of hygiene risks, discomfort, embarrassment, or the loss of dignity.
In 2021, Dis-Chem and the Million Comforts Campaign proudly reached an ambitious target of 11 million sanitary towels for donation through an exciting corporate drive as well as in-store contributions which were matched with equal donations by participating brands. A far cry from their first goal in 2015, which was to amass 1 million sanitary towels, this demonstrates the amazing growth in their goal toward sustainable feminine hygiene.
As a result, the Dis-Chem Foundation and Million Comforts recently delivered a large shipment of 3 million sanitary towels to the Imbumba Foundation for distribution through their Caring4Girls Programme. The main objective of Caring4Girls is to provide education on puberty and menstrual hygiene to underprivileged girls and support them with sanitary towels for a minimum period of one year.
The Dis-Chem Group encourages the public to make use of their Benefit Card every time they make a purchase at one of their stores so that the Dis-Chem Foundation can continue making a difference in the lives of the communities it has served for so many years.
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