Sanitary pads bring dignity to young girls
Staff of Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens donate sanitary pads to underprivileged girls
Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens used Mandela Day to highlight young girls’ dignity and right to sanitary pads in the informal settlement, Peacock, in Ruimsig.
The staff from the garden did their share to make a difference to the community and gave sanitary pads to more than 20 school-going girls, who were overjoyed. Some shyly admitted they had never used the basic necessity before.
The girls have to travel the more than 12km by bus to Kagiso, the largest township on the West Rand, to attend school as there are no schools in their informal settlement. As infrastructure and services are practically non-existent, sanitary pads are not on the priority list.
Addressing the girls, the representative of the botanical gardens, Lorraine Ndzondo, said their monthly periods were an unavoidable inconvenience that nature has given them as women and they should embrace it.
“As you enter into this stage of life you should forget about boys and concentrate on your schooling as you will probably fall pregnant – and who will take care of your child?” she advised the girls, asking them to take caution now that they were of age.
She appealed to them not to sneer at or avoid their peers who are having their periods and don’t have sanitary pads. Instead, they should rather assist each other.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at northsider@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites
