Learners at Nova Pioneer Midrand Secondary Campus were equipped with valuable lessons on personal hygiene, puberty, self-esteem, and resilience during a series of empowerment sessions hosted at the school on May 28.

The initiative brought together teachers, motivational speakers, and wellness-focused businesses to engage learners in open and educational discussions aimed at helping them better understand themselves and navigate adolescence with confidence.

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Associate dean of students Monica Ndlovu said the school hosts the programme every term to create safe and informative spaces for learners. “Today, we invited two vendors to join us as part of our termly puberty and personal hygiene talks with the boys and the girls.”

Learners were divided into separate sessions, according to gender and age groups, with grades 8 and 9 learners attending different discussions from grades 10 to 12 learners. “We have different teachers facilitating the sessions, together with external guests. We also have Phindile, from Loud and Proud, who is running a self-esteem session with our girls as part of preparations for a June 16 girls’ empowerment seminar that we are planning together.”

Ndlovu added that the sessions also focused on menstrual health awareness. “We also invited Naledi [Ramara], who is involved in making menstruation pads, to demonstrate and educate our girls about puberty, the changes the body goes through, and the importance of using safe menstrual products. Studies have shown that some products may contain harmful substances, so these discussions are very important.”

She described the event as a meaningful learning experience, filled with engagement and honest conversations. “It’s a good day with lots of discussions, lots of engagement, and lots of new information being shared. These are the kinds of conversations many of us wished we had while we were still in school.”

Author, speaker, and girls’ mentor Phindile Ngiba led resilience sessions for girls from grades 8 to 12. Ngiba said the workshops form part of a broader empowerment drive leading up to a Youth Day event at the school on June 16. “I’m teaching the girls resilience using a framework called Zitshele. In society, people often use the phrase, Uyazitshela [colloquial IsiZulu for acting self‑important or assuming too much], negatively, but I believe in today’s world it should be seen as a compliment.”

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She encouraged girls to take ownership of their identities and futures, instead of waiting for others to define them. “If somebody says Uyazitshela, your response should be, Vele ngiyazitshela ngoba uma ngingazitsheli, ngizotshelwa ngobani, meaning, if I don’t tell myself who I am, who else will?”
Ngiba said the June 16 event will focus on fitness, motivation, healing, and financial literacy to help empower young women and future leaders.

Founder of Carol M Lingerie, Carol Morena, accompanied by Ramara, also addressed the girls and demonstrated menstrual underwear products designed to support girls during their menstrual cycles.
Teachers further engaged learners in discussions about puberty stages, personal development, and self-care, creating a supportive environment where learners were encouraged to ask questions freely.
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