To ensure dignity, comfort and choice is one of the main messages that the MENstruation Foundation wishes to convey.
MENstruation Foundation is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to fight period poverty and give women dignity. Many girls miss out on sport or school due to not having access to sanitary pads, which leads to them missing out on major milestones in their lives.
In order for girls to attend school on a daily basis and not missing out on vital work, the MENstruation Foundation started a sanitary pad vending machine project where girls can get free eco-friendly sanitary pads.
This vending machine has been introduced and installed at Louwville High School on Tuesday 19 October and sponsored by Pep stores.
Marius Basson, co-founder and director of the MENstruation Foundation, says this is a 12-month initiative and the vending machine will be stocked every month.
Basson explains that the girls can access the sanitary pads at their own time as this is all about dignity.
“To access the sanitary pads is very easy, the girls use a token which they place in the vending machine, which then releases the sanitary pads.”
Women’s Springbok and Western Cape Province Rugby captain Babalwa Latsha was also present and shared with the girls the importance of this initiative. She is also a director of MENstruation Foundation. Basson highlighted that it is important that boys are also made aware of the menstruation cycle which is something that should be embraced.
Louwville High School principal Emile Petrus thanked MENstruation Foundation for bringing this initiative to the school.
