An event was held on 1 July at the Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton to inform the media of a severe social issue that many South African girls face.
The master of ceremonies, media personality Gerry Elsdon, explained that many underprivileged South African girls missed up to 50 school days per year as a result of not having access to feminine hygiene products.
It is for this reason that Nelson Mandela Square has joined forces with the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s Trek4Mandela fundraising initiative.
This initiative will see 46 passionate South Africans summit Mount Kilimanjaro in Ethiopia on 18 July, which is Mandela Day. The aim of this climb is to raise funds and create awareness for girls who cannot afford sanitary towels.
Elsdon said, “So many girls desperately need our help and it is for this reason that I am taking part in the climb for the second year in a row. There is such a need for our help. Let us go beyond ourselves with an act of kindness.”
She highlighted that this campaign should appeal to all South Africans, both men and women. “This is not just about girls helping girls,” she added.
Richard Mabaso, the CEO of the Imbumba Foundation which focuses on social change in underprivileged areas, and is a driving force behind Trek4Mandela said, “We are climbing to keep the girl child in school. It is amazing to have the private sector on board with us.”
Under the banner of the Imbumba Foundation is the Caring4Girls programme, which aims to provide sanitary towels to young, underprivileged girls.
Mabaso shared a story that had touched his heart. “A young lady saw us on TV and decided that she wanted to make a difference,” he said.
“She decided to go around her area and create awareness and stumbled upon a lady’s office. She explained the Caring4Girls initiative to the lady who then started crying.”
Mabaso went on to say that this particular woman was so taken with the programme because she, too, battled in school as a result of not having access to sanitary towels. He added that the aim of this story was to make the attendees aware of the enormity of this social issue. Mabaso said there was still time for residents to sign up for the next Kilimanjaro excursion.
Elsdon concluded, “Receiving sanitary towels should be a basic human right.”
Details: www.imbumbafoundation.org; Follow Nelson Mandela Square on Facebook.
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