Two organisations show care for Moses Maren Technical Secondary School
About nine million girls aged between 11 and 19 do not attend school every month for at least a week because they have nothing to use.
In efforts to raise awareness of the challenges faced by many girls around the world, LexisNexis sponsored over 100 PrincessD menstrual cups for donation to Moses Maren Technical Secondary School on October 31.
Taahira Jardine, the chairperson of LexisNexis SA’s women connected committee, said they are always giving back and want to be a part of everything when it comes to community and helping where they can.
“We noticed that many girls are struggling, and it would be a fantastic initiative if we could reach out to them and provide them with something sustainable. We frequently participate in sanitary pad drives, but sanitary pads do not last because they are used and then thrown away. One of our marketing ladies discovered PincessD, which we thought was fantastic.
“We want to assist young ladies and women in sustaining their periods because it is something that no one asked for. We discovered that a lot of girls go through hormonal changes and it is uncomfortable. They feel like they can smell it and they do not like the sanitary pads. Therefore, with menstrual cups, we discovered that it is sustainable and that they can be used for years. It will save costs.”
Representative of PrincessD, Tshegofatso Mathe, said many girls use unhygienic alternatives to sanitary pads and tampons, such as newspapers, dirty rags and leaves, which puts them at a huge risk of infection.
“About nine million girls aged between 11 and 19 do not attend school every month for at least a week because they have nothing to use. So we are trying to bridge that gap and keep girls at school. Sanitation is very important and it is just sad that today a lot of girls are struggling because of unaffordability.
“It is not something that is going to disappear one day, so what better way to rather close the gap than by providing menstrual cups because they last?
“The cup is ultra-soft, made from medical grade silicone and is reusable for up to 10 years and is completely comfortable for sports such as swimming, yoga, dancing, or any type of activity as it allows safe, secure, discreet, and leak-free protection for up to 12 hours at a time.
“It is a greener alternative to disposable tampons and sanitary pads as it does not add to landfill.”
Save to use
Mathe said the menstrual cup is FDA-approved.
“This means it has undergone the necessary checks and tests to ensure it is safe to use. It is very comfortable, you won’t feel anything, and your body will function normally.
“It comes with a compact, foldable steriliser cup that can be used at the end of your menstrual cycle by simply rinsing it with cold plain water. It is a very strong, high-quality material with a stem shaped in a D, which distinguishes it from the other cups. It can hold up to three times the amount of liquid that sanitary pads do. “LexisNexis has been gracious enough to sponsor the cups. One cup costs R300.”
Mathe went on to say that if a company has a CSI budget but is unsure how to spend it, they should contact them to find out how they can close the period poverty gap.
“All they need to do is specify how many menstrual cups they want to sponsor, which we then donate to schools in need.
“If the company has a school that they support, they can buy the cups. If not, we always have a list of schools that are in need to which we can refer the companies,” said Mathe.
School-based support team coordinator, Francina Borotho, said: “We’d like to thank LexisNexis for alleviating the burden on our shoulders. Our school is a non-school paying fee, and we do not have enough money to purchase such items to help. Many of our students come from child-headed families and rely on the school for support.”
