Calls for support in the ‘She Matters’ sanitary pad donation drive
‘She Matters’ is about restoring dignity, creating opportunity and ensuring that every young woman has the chance to stay in the classroom and reach her full potential.
The Witness is calling on its readers to help keep girls in school this Mandela Day by supporting its ‘She Matters’ sanitary pad donation drive, an initiative aimed at tackling period poverty across the uMgungundlovu District.
Period poverty affects an estimated seven to eight million women and girls in South Africa, with many unable to afford basic menstrual hygiene products.
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As a result, around 30% of schoolgirls miss classes during their periods, losing up to 50 to 60 days of learning each year, while 83% of female learners lack regular access to sanitary products.
Many are forced to use unsafe alternatives such as rags, newspapers and other makeshift materials, increasing their risk of infections and other health complications.
Beyond the health risks, period poverty robs thousands of girls of their education, confidence and dignity, highlighting the urgent need for community support.
The campaign, which runs until the end of July, calls on members of the public to donate sanitary pads, pantyliners and other menstrual hygiene products to ensure that no girl child misses out on her education because she cannot afford basic sanitary products.
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All donations will be distributed to schools in need across the uMgungundlovu district during Women’s Month in August.
The campaign is being run in partnership with major retailers including Checkers, Pick n Pay, Boxer, Spar and Parklane SuperSpar, with collection boxes placed at supermarkets across Pietermaritzburg.
Justin Goldstone, marketing manager at The Witness, said the campaign reflects the newspaper’s long-standing commitment to education, literacy and strengthening the communities it serves.
As a newspaper, we’ve always championed education and literacy because we know they are the foundation of opportunity. No girl should have to choose between her education and her period.
“‘She Matters’ is about restoring dignity, creating opportunity and ensuring that every young woman has the chance to stay in the classroom and reach her full potential.”
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Donation drop-off points are: Checkers Cascades; Checkers Brookside Mall; Checkers Liberty Midlands Mall; Checkers Arbour Arch; Pick n Pay Hayfields; Pick n Pay Liberty Midlands Mall; Parklane SuperSpar; and The Witness offices at 225 Hoosen Haffejee Street, Pietermaritzburg.
