Hamptons Primary School learner starts sanitary-towel drive for less fortunate
The sanitary products which the 10-year-old collected will be handed over to schools in the Newlands East and Phoenix areas.
AFTER watching a programme on TV about period poverty which highlighted the plight of young girls in South Africa, and what they experience during menstruation, ten-year-old Kajol Ramlachan decided to initiate a sanitary-towel drive for Women’s Month.
Through donations from family, friends, school teachers and others, the little girl with a huge heart has collected close to 500 packs of sanitary pads for schoolgirls.
Speaking to Northglen News, she said she learnt that studies show that an estimated 30% of South African girls do not have or cannot afford to buy sanitary products, so they’re unable to attend school while they have their period.
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“Not having access to these essential products often also leads to ridicule from their peers, negative social media and the risk of health issues due to them using unhealthy alternatives,” she said.
“It’s undignifying for these girls to not have sanitary pads, and this affects their self-esteem and ability to function when they are on their period. I also feel it is so important to have proper education around menstruation so that young girls can be better prepared and also know what are the myths and what are the facts,” added Kajol.
To add to the donations, Kajol, who attends Hamptons Primary, recently won a R300 gift card after winning the SPAR Superstars competition for the first quarter. She used her prize to purchase sanitary pads to add to the donations.
“I was so overwhelmed with the response I received. I would like to give a huge thank you and shout-out to every single person who donated towards this worthy cause and made this initiative such a big success. A special thank you to SPAR Superstars for my voucher. I used this to purchase more sanitary towels,” she added.
“We all have the power to make our world a better place with just a sprinkle of kindness and a dash of love,” said Kajol.
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