A petroleum company has partnered with Imbumba Foundation’s Caring4Girls initiative that seeks to provide school girls with sanitary towels to help keep them in school during their monthly cycles.
The campaign, now in its fourth year, visited Khayelitsha this week distributing hygiene hampers to 564 pupils at Sizimisele Secondary School and 578 hampers to pupils at Thembelihle Secondary School.
Engen’s latest pledge of R1.5 million takes its total support over the past three years to R3.5 million, with approximately 24 065 girls receiving support in the three years to date.
The 2022 campaign will reach a further 14 000 girls at 22 schools, across all nine South African provinces.
Research shows that underprivileged girls miss up to 50 days of school a year because they are unable to access feminine hygiene care.
“We cannot thrive as a society if some of our female learners are left behind because they are unable to attend school due to feminine hygiene issues, which is why we are proud to partner with the Imbumba Foundation and contribute to this meaningful initiative,” comments Engen managing director and CEO, Seelan Naidoo.
Imbumba Foundation chief executive officer Richard Mabaso said the Caring4Girls programme created a voice for girls in addition to distributing sanitary materials.
“Caring4Girls also provides health education on puberty and adolescence, to demystify menstrual related myths and break down societal taboos, whilst promoting positive body literacy and autonomy, as well as gender equality,” he said.
“By supporting these young girls, we will ensure that their dignity is retained and that they never have to miss school because of their monthly cycles,” said Mr Naidoo.
Caring4Girls, endorsed by the Department of Basic Education, focuses on education and training on puberty and menstrual hygiene management, and includes the safe and environmentally responsible handling, usage and disposal of sanitary towels.