Restoring dignity in youngsters

“I don’t have an NGO, I’m simply a concerned member of the community.”

This is what Audrey Fourie said when asked about her dedication to helping local youngsters with sanitary items.

The 46-year-old, who is a mother herself, explained that two years ago she realised that young high school girls were in desperate need of keeping their dignity intact. She consequently started collecting sanitary items from different members of the community and sponsors.

“I also noticed that some school girls stayed home because they were on their periods; they were too embarrassed to got to school as they were teased by their peers. I thought we can’t have a society where this carries on without being corrected,” Audrey said.

She explained that she solely depended on donations by the community or what she was able to contribute from her own pocket.

“I would also like to thank Randfontein Wesley Women’s Auxiliary for being my main sponsor,” Audrey added.

In the last two years, she’d manage to help over 160 girls with dignity packs, and this month she’s embarked on providing dignity packs for boys. These packs will have items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, bars of soap, lotion and face cloths.

Explaining this challenge, she said it was a result of socioeconomic disarray. Many youngsters are from families where there are no breadwinners, making it nearly impossible to buy something as basic as deodorant.

Fourie said her main aim was to bring a sense of humanity to our youth, motivated by the fact that she’s a mother herself.

“It is very important to teach these youngsters that no matter what, they can count on someone, and should not look to drug and alcohol abuse as a solace.

“I also would like to instil a sense of self-dignity back into our youth, and I hope to cater for young unemployed adults as well,” Audrey added.