An estimated total of seven million young girls miss four or five days of school in a month during their menstruation cycle due to the lack of sanitary towels.
Some parents, especially in the rural areas, earn too little to buy sanitary pads for their girls.
Thanks to the office of the Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Buti Manamela, thousands of young women on 18 July will receive reusable sanitary towels, which will ensure that they attend school even during their menstrual cycle.
The office of the Deputy Minister has partnered with the Dignity Dreams in achieving a goal of securing funding and distributing 18 000 dignity packs as part of efforts for Mandela Day.
Last month, Deputy Minister Manamela launched the Dignity Dreams Nelson Mandela Day Campaign which aims to raise funds to distribute the sanitary towels to young women.
Dignity Dreams is a non-profit organisation that provides reusable sanitary towels that last up to five years and thereby keep girls in school for much longer.
More than 11 000 sanitary towels were donated.
With nine days to go before the country celebrates Mandela Day, on 18 July, more than 11 000 sanitary towels have been donated.
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) has also partnered with Dignity Dreams and donated an amount of R200 000 towards the goal of 18 000 dignity packs.
The Office of the Deputy Minister and the NYDA have dedicated Mandela Month 2015 to raising awareness about the plight of young females in communities around the country.
The cheque of R200 000, which was handed over on Thursday during a ceremony held at the University of Johannesburg, in Soweto Campus, will make it possible for Dignity Dreams to purchase 1 430 dignity packs.
Speaking at the hand over, Deputy Minister Manamela said the lack of affordable sanitary products for young girls, keeps them at a disadvantage in terms of education and prevents their mobility and productivity as young women.
He urged all South Africans to join in the efforts to ensure that young girls have access to sanitary towels.
“It’s not a women issue, it is a key issue we have to drive. It shouldn’t be about what government is doing but what others can do to ensure that we realise the goal,” the Deputy Minister said.
NYDA Chairperson Yershen Pillay said the agency is proud to be part of this drive, emphasising the need to prioritise the issues of young women.
“When you are a young girl, missing out on quality time is not a small issue. We have to play a role in creating awareness and ensure that young girls are in school,” said Pillay.
Accepting a cheque on behalf of Dignity Dreams, Ian Flint, one of the board members, said the campaign is more than dignity towels, but ensuring that young women are at school and getting an education like young men. – SAnews.gov.za
