Kempton Park mom and daughter duo join hands for a pad drive

E fa Lethabo Pad Drive continues to help less fortunate young girls.

Kempton Park resident Lethabo Dube and her mother, Puleng Dube, again visited Rev A Maphetho Primary School on May 25 to hand over sanitary pads to the learners.

Puleng navigated the session. During last month’s session, the learners raised topics they wished to discuss at the next session.

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The topics they chose included teenage pregnancy, peer pressure and dating. The learners responded well to the discussion, sharing their opinions.

School learner Chrisable Godo said she found the session useful and enjoyed the discussion.

“I enjoyed talking about teenage pregnancy, dating and peer pressure because as young girls, these are the things we are facing. The session was useful because it taught us about the things we didn’t know and things we were not aware of.

“Most importantly, it taught me how to love and respect myself as a young woman,” Godo said.

During the discussion, learners shared their opinions and thoughts about the topics.

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With the exams around the corner, the visitors advised the young girls to focus on their exams and their studies and leave things that would waste their time.

“Find extra activities to do after school, like playing sports or joining a choir, to keep yourself busy. Relationships and peer pressure will waste your time and ruin your life, leave boys alone,” Dube said.

Although this month’s donation was larger than the previous month’s initiative, the E fa Lethabo Pad Drive requires donations to continue.

The drive aims to give young girls sanitary pads each month. Dube said she believes if more people join the drive, they can help more girls.

She added they hoped to provide girls with additional hygiene products through the initiative.

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“One pack of pads helps to keep a girl in school for the month. During the open session, the girls shared they dated at an early age so that their boyfriends could buy them items such as pads and food.

“The Efa Lethabo monthly pad drive has reached almost 200 girls in the past two months. As such, the demand for pads has also increased.

“We thank Pick n Pay head office for providing the pad drive with pads for May and we would like to reach out to more businesses and the community to continue helping by donating pads.

Other contributors to the drive included The Moisture Factory in Glen Marais, Nkonde Transport and PAMM Investments.

“We would also like to thank friends, colleagues and the Bustin family for their continued support.

“We appreciate the support provided to the girls and look forward to more sponsorship, that will enable us to reach out to more girls.”

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Teacher Mmabotse Rachidi said this drive has helped many young girls.

“The drive and the talks helped to boost the girls’ confidence. Some girls said they are now better prepared to resist peer pressure and feel more inspired to be the best they can,” said Rachidi.

Anyone who wishes to donate to the drive may contact Puleng on 083 250 0089.