To mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28 May, a Midrand-based company donated 1 500 reusable sanitary pads to learners at Eqinisweni Secondary School in Ivory Park.
Novartis South Africa in partnership with Clicks Helping Hand Trust, handed over the donation.
Sanele Nyathi, manager for Clicks Helping Hand Trust said their goal was to ensure that girls remained in class as studies showed that some girls missed up to five days of school per month due to their menstrual cycle.
“Today [28 May] is also Menstrual Hygiene Day, and we felt that it would help raise to prominence the importance of this day,” he said.
“Eqinisweni has had several academic successes over the years, we want to see our girls from Eqinisweni succeed.”
He added that the school was in the heart of the community of Ivory Park which made it a good destination to ensure that the donation was spread to as many girls from different areas of Ivory Park and the surrounding settlements.
“We also know that the pandemic has hit the most vulnerable of communities hard, contributing reusable sanitary towels ensures that families can use more income on other essentials,” Nyathi concluded.
Sibonile Dube, head of communications at Novartis South Africa, said as a global company they have a great responsibility and an even greater opportunity to contribute towards positive social change.
“We are proud to be a part of the solution to complex challenges like the absenteeism of adolescent girls from school due to a lack of access to sanitary towels,” Dube said.
“To date, the Clicks Helping Hand Trust and Novartis South Africa have donated over 9 000 reusable sanitary pads to girls in Gauteng schools since the launch of the campaign in 2019.”
Eqinisweni Secondary School principal, Jabulane Kunene welcomed the donation and said he wanted to relay a big thank you to the two organisations.
“It is the thought behind all of this, just for thinking about us is very much important to us.”
Kunene concluded, “Yes, we do have challenges, we are trying our level best as teachers to push the academic work and also with the large numbers we have, a school like this carrying a load of 2 360 learners when the capacity itself is supposed to be 1 500. We have stretched it to the limit.”
Details: For more info, visit Clicks Helping Hand Trust www.clicks.co.za/hht
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