“We want our girls back in school. There are too many girls who miss a week of school each month owing to not having access to sanitary products or safe toilets.”
This is the goal of the Red Belt Movement, a young and dynamic social impact charity, assisting women from a young age to manage their menstruation with pride and dignity. The girl learners from Rocklands Farm School on the outskirts of Kariega, will be the first in the area to benefit from this charity’s Dignity Drive.
“It is all about dignity. We will be providing sanitary products monthly to those girls in need and helping to keep them in school,” said Bianca Killian, co-founder of the Red Belt Movement, a registered non-profit organisation since 2021.
“It is also our mission to provide safe, clean and gender specific toilets to schools for girls and boys with the assistance and sponsorships of local industries and businesses. We further educate girls as well as boys and school staff on menstruation and safe hygiene practices.”
“We reached out to a few ward councillors to find out which schools needed support in terms of sanitary pads and toilet facility upgrades. We also engaged with the Department of Education and checked that the Rocklands Farm School is part of the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) initiative, to replace basic pit toilets with appropriate sanitation in accordance with the norms and standards for school infrastructure.
“We have met the school’s principal and secretary, did a site visit and interviews with some of the girl learners and realized how big the need is for period packs,” said Killian.
The Red Belt Movement has also partnered with Blossom Care Solutions, a sanitary pad manufacturer that sets up small factories in communities and whose mission it is to provide every girl in South Africa with access to sanitary dignity.
“They were kind enough to supply us with a year’s worth of sanitary pads for Rocklands Farm School as well as for Missionvale Care Centre and a school in Makhanda. Our focus will however be on schools in the Kariega area,” said Killian.
Nicole Mohamed, project manager of The Red Belt Movement, said collections for the Dignity Drive period packs, which include various sanitary items, started at the beginning of March and will run until 21 May.
“This is in preparation to hand over the period packs to the Rocklands Farm School on 28 May, which is World Menstrual Hygiene Day,” said Mohamed.
“We would love to get the community involved by donating specific items which can be dropped off at various collection points in Kariega and Despatch.”
The specific items needed are:
- wet wipes
- refillable liquid hand soap (and refills)
- laundry soap bars
- ziplock bags
- panties (sized 13-14 years-XXL)
“We currently have a few educational institutions in Kariega and Despatch involved which also serve as collection points namely Riebeek College, Brandwag, Kooweekidz Educare, Mini Miracles Educare and Despatch Preparatory School,” said Mohamed.
There will also be a collection bin available at the UD Express office in Graaff Reinet Road to drop off donations.
- For more information contact Nicole Mohamed at 072 688 4975 or Bianca Kilian 066 383 0195.
