Local foundation aims to provide sanitary pads to young girls for 10 years

Three Sandton entrepreneurs have created a foundation that aims to ensure that no girl misses school because she cannot afford sanitary pads.

The Grey Foundation was created by Nafisa Fareed, Dineshree Naidu and Juliet Mwakutuya last year out of their desire to give back to the community. The foundation initially began assisting old age homes and orphanages with care packages.

“We always provided what was on a wish list and we noticed that there was always a need for sanitary pads,” said Fareed.

Through this realisation, they decided that they wanted to try and find a more long-term solution to address this need.

The foundation partnered with Nandi Pads, which are locally produced, to create a product that would be affordable enough to ensure that they could provide sanitary pads over a long period. One of their main concerns was that the girls would only receive a sporadic supply, so the foundation ensures that they can supply each girl with a supply of sanitary pads for 10 years.

Fareed added,

“I don’t think we realised how not having a pad can impact on a girl and I think it’s sometimes forgotten and these young girls end up missing school.”

Through the foundation, Fareed, Naidu and Mwakutuya also hope to raise awareness and encourage others to create awareness to ensure that no girl child misses school. The foundation has signed a partnership agreement with the Department of Education to ensure they are assisting schools where there is a dire need.

The foundation recently hosted two fundraising initiatives which they hope to continue in the future. The inaugural Women’s Breakfast was hosted at the Radisson in Sandton where 100 women gathered to raise funds for the initiative with the goal of eventually supporting 100 000 women from around the country. A fitness day was also hosted at the Maslow Hotel with all the proceeds from the day being donated to the foundation.

“We wanted to do something really fun that people would benefit from and, in benefiting from it, they also give back,” said Fareed.

The project began supplying 500 girls in Diepsloot with sanitary pads and through the fundraising initiatives they have raised enough money for another 10 000 sanitary pads. “You never know whose heart you’re going to touch. We are empowered and we want to empower others,” concluded Fareed.

Details: Grey Foundation enquiries@greyfoundation.co.za

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