Pads to restore dignity of the girl child

By Thapelo Morokolo

Hundreds of girls in the Sekhukhune District and across Limpopo province are set to benefit from an initiative aimed at restoring and protecting the dignity of the girl child by providing them with 6 months supply of sanitary pads.

The Run For Her Marathon campaign, an initiative that support girl children with the most basic of needs is cross-crossing the province rolling out dignity packs to girls in rural schools, a move organizers say is about more than hygiene — but also about keeping girls in class. Often girl children are shamed for experiencing periods while at school particularly when they don’t have decent sanitary pads.

The annual event, held on Saturday 25 July at Mohlaletse, saw learners from schools receive dignity packs containing 6-months worth of sanitary pads.

Speaking at the handover, Founder of Run For Her,Itumeleng Mampuru, said the initiative was started after the organization noticed high absenteeism among girls during their periods and the goal is to raise sanitary pads, uniform, stationary and sometime food to the needy.

“I’m from rural area and what inspired me the most is that I once came across this young girl who was in her periods and her peers were laughing at her, with the little knowledge I had, I made a means of getting her sanitary pads. Many girls in rural areas miss up to 5 days of school every month because they can’t afford pads, We started this programme to say: your period is not a barrier. You deserve to learn with dignity,” said Mampuru.

Unlike a once-off handout, the annual drive includes workshops for learners, parents, as well as teachers on menstrual health and breaking period stigma.

“We involve boys, teachers, social workers, and traditional leaders because this is not just a ‘girls’ problem, when the whole community understands, we remove the shame,”he said.

“10 years from now someone one will come to you and say that if it wasn’t for I wouldn’t have stayed in class, that boosted my confidence and by through your donations, I was able to make it in life,” he said quoting a beneficiary.

“We have 8 year running this organization and we don’t have a funder, but we are surviving from donations and the little we donate from our pocket and we are hoping something will come through. We never get enough pads to donate, because we are receiving calls from different people asking for pads and that is why we have pads drop points,” he added.

The biggest challenge, according to Mampuru, is reaching the most remote villages and ensuring pads are available year-round, not just once a year, since the sanitary pads are used through out the year.

Community members and companies who wish to donate can Run For Her Marathon can reach out to him on Facebook and via phone call. +27 81 400 2485