Gordon High School in Somerset West is one of four schools in the Western Cape to benefit from a donation of sanitary towels and machines thanks to the IAMFORHER Foundation and other sponsors. The donation came a day before World Menstrual Hygiene Day on Saturday (28 May).
The foundation and private donors, along with content creators Rushana Isaacs, Junette Syster and Jadine Walters, installed sanitary towel machines at Gordon High, Vista High in Cape Town and Ebenezer Primary in Paarl, and donated sanitary towels to Tamboerskloof Primary in Gardens.
The reality of period poverty and the fact that up to 7 million South African girls do not have access to, or cannot afford to buy, sanitary products is what drives the IAMFORHER Foundation (founded by Nicky Cupido), to destigmatise menstruation, provide education on menstruation and offer free sanitary products to schools and communities across South Africa. “With a lack of access to menstrual products, hygiene facilities and education on menstruation, many girls and women across the country suffer from ‘period poverty’,” said Jardine, brand head at the foundation.
“The sociological effects of this far outweigh simply missing school or work; they essentially alienate these individuals from society at a crucial time of the month.
“With proper education on menstruation, access to waste management and sanitary towels, we aim to make a difference to the lives of women across the country.”
For more information on the foundation, and to support its cause, visit www.iamforherfoundation.co.za
