Mamelodi youth activist donates sanitary pads
The activist saved money for months to buy 200 sanitary pads for girls at the local school.
A youth activist in Mamelodi East donated 200 sanitary pads to girls at Impendulo primary school in Lusaka on Tuesday.
Mikateko Benedict Phalane also took the opportunity to talk to Grade 7 learners about different career choices.
Phalane said earlier this year, while he, ward councillor Thabang Masemola, SGB deputy chair Bheki Lubisi and Youth came to the school to donate shoes, he had overheard teachers talking about how the girls were missing class because they didn’t have sanitary pads.
He said he was touched and hurt by what he overheard so started saving money from March to buy sanitary pads to donate.
“No schoolgirl or young woman should bunk classes because they can’t afford sanitary pads, when we have the ability to assist them.
“It is not always the responsibility of the government to take care of its people but a responsibility of the community to uplift each other,” said Phalane.
He encouraged learners to start taking care of each other and practice the culture of giving and supporting each other as communities.
Teacher Suzan Siemela said, “We have learners who come from different backgrounds and we try to intervene and help out but it is not enough.
“We have a problem of schoolgirls who skip classes because they don’t have sanitary pads and the school is also trying to buy sanitary pads but it is not enough.”
Lubisi said the donation came at the right time.
“Many of girls skip school when they are on periods or use anything they can get their hands on as a makeshift towel,” said Lubisi.
He said the generous donation will boost the girls’ confidence so they can look forward to coming to school every day – even if it is that time of the month.
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