14 Mar 2016

In their continued effort to clothe the girl child with dignity, Dignity Foundation Trust has embarked on a journey to collect sanitary pads and donate them to the underpriviledged girls nation wide.

Over the weekend, the foundation managed to collect hundreds of boxes of sanitary pads and thousands of pula in cash over a high tea event held at Boetelo Sun Valley gardens. The invitees were asked to each bring a box of pads as a gate pass towards the pad appeal initiative.

Speaking during the event, Dr Banu Khan explained that the foundation was registered because of some statistics that showed that in Southern Africa millions of young girls between the ages of 10 and 16 years are living below the poverty datum line.

Also, they were motivated by the United Nations Children’s Fund data that shows that one in 10 school girls in Africa miss school or drop out completely due to menstrual cycle.

These girls are forced to substitute sanitary pads with unhygienic and less absorbent materials such as old clothes, rags, toilet paper, newspapers, plastic bags, grass/leaves, stones, and tree bark which put them at a high health risk.

It is reported that during menstruation girls refuse to go to school because there are no appropriate sanitation facilities especially those from poor backgrounds.
Most rural school staff have reported that the girls would miss approximately five days of school a month which amount to approximately 45 missed school days a year.

The problem is said to be prevalent in both urban and rural areas as it is a problem that follows the poorer households. The cost of sanitary towels therefore remains unaffordable.

It is for these reasons that Dignity Foundation Trust was formed as they strongly believe that every child has the right to go to school as missing school is not an option because of the humiliation and indignity experienced when a girl stains her clothes or misses school just because she does not have a sanitary pad to use.

Dr Khan has also emphasised that dignity is not as simple as it may sound adding that “it is difficult to be dignified if you can’t afford sanitary pads.” Although the foundation is still at its baby stage, since it was only registered in December 2013, some of the challenges they face Dr Khan said was accessing beneficiaries.

They also have difficulty accessing technical services as well as donations in terms of money and pads. Finding collection points has also proved to be a hiccup. Dr Khan also cited that they want to move beyond pads and start counseling services and other health care services for free to underprivileged girls.

For her part, television personality Ms Nthati Moshesh motivated the ladies to learn to embrace others adding that the old adage that says “it is a man’s world,” is not entirely true.

She said that in actual fact it is a woman’s world as they have done remarkable things to change the world. She therefore implored women to make a difference and give dignity to the girl child. ENDS