Ruimsig youth create sanitary pad movement

Creating change in the world might be seen as a big mountain to climb for some people as it is not an easy process to start. However, young Asanda Macozoma (17) from Crawford International Ruimsig and her friend Nhlakanipho Mazibuko (17), proved that age is just a number when it comes to making a difference in society.

Through her passion to foster a better place for women to survive in this economy, Asanda co-founded the She Is Power initiative aimed to create a movement to have sanitary pads easily accessible for women.

“Sanitary pads should be free for women as it is a natural process that women cannot control. Women should be supported with sanitary pads similar to how contraceptive products and tissues are easily accessible for everyone,” said Asanda.

“It pains me to see women especially mothers or girls in the township who already have hardships of their own, struggling to keep up with expenses about their sanitary needs,” exclaimed the young change maker. She mentioned that this context drove her to take the initiative to make a change in her community and to create a better place for women.

To create this change, Asanda believes that it starts with having difficult conversations that other people would not necessarily have. Asanda explained that she and her co-founder regularly have interviews through social media with boys and girls about various topics around women and their hormonal changes. They advocate for every individual to be educated on such topics regardless of their gender.

“Having these conversations has created an open-mindedness in boys that I never thought could be possible and it has created a community that wants to help others after having these conversations,” she explained.

She also believes that to create the necessary steps toward change, you must lead by example and demonstrate that role yourself. She does this by having initiatives around her community along with her co-founder to donate sanitary pads to women. However, the young student does acknowledge that it takes great support to drive positive change. Both Asanda and Nhlakanipho have been supported by their fellow peers who see the difference that the She Is Power Initiative has and could bring to our world. They have received donations from their peers in the form of sanitary pads which they donate to local women’s centres and other schools.

Asanda looks forward to the impact that She Is Power will bring and hopes to have community centers all around townships in Gauteng, where women can have access to free sanitary pads. She encourages everyone to support the initiative by following the social media pages on Instagram (SheIs.Power) and Tik Tok (SheIsPower_).

She advises young people to be the change that they want to see and not let challenges define their change-making journey.

“Despite the fear, ‘just do it’ as the outcome and difference that you want to create in the world is far greater than any fear you might face at the moment,” concludes the young change maker.