Organisation aids vulnerable young women

The Women In Need organisation came to the aid of young girls at Tsholetsega Primary School in Kagiso recently as part of their Mandela Month initiative.

The initiative started in 2020 after witnessing many girls missing school because they could not afford sanitary pads.

The organisation was formed by Dorothy Mabelebele who saw the need to reach out to women who live in low-income areas and did not have access to sanitary products that will help them go through their day. She is very passionate about reaching out to the community and hopes to create awareness for disadvantaged girls who live in rural areas.

“We hope to create awareness about gender-based disadvantages in our communities. By donating these sanitary products to our girls at schools we want to give them the dignity to be proud of themselves. As it is Mandela Month, we planned for our 67 Minutes to be used for assisting young girls,” said Dorothy.

Dorothy added that women can be heavily affected by their reproductive health and what the consequences are if they do not make use of sanitary products to keep them safe.

“Poor menstrual hygiene can adversely affect a girl’s health. When women and girls cannot afford or access absorbent sanitary products, they might use improvised materials such as improperly cleaned or scavenged cloth, or other materials, such as newspaper or even grass. When girls and women have access to safe and affordable sanitary materials to manage their menstruation, they decrease their risk of infections,” she added.

Women in Need always has several projects planned to reach out to communities and hope to make a huge impact by reaching more disadvantaged communities.

Those who want to make donations to the organisation can contact Dorothy on 067 211 0915 or email womeninneedorganisation@gmail.com.