Elevate Her Africa launches campaign to provide sanitary packs to women
Elevate Her Africa aims to collect 36 000 packs of pads to keep girls in school and restore dignity in the workplace.
A discarded piece of toilet paper in a bathroom raised a question for Elevate Her Africa founder Marie Joelle Kasongo.
That question became the driving force behind a campaign to tackle period poverty. Kasongo said her conversation with a woman who cleans shebeens and corporate offices opened her eyes to the reality faced by women who cannot afford sanitary products. The woman had noticed large amounts of toilet paper being discarded in bathrooms.
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Kasongo began to wonder why women were turning to toilet paper as an alternative to sanitary products. That simple question became the catalyst for Elevate Her Africa’s latest campaign, 36 000 Packs, 2 000 Lives, 12 Months of Dignity.
The Sandton-based non-profit organisation hopes to collect 36 000 sanitary packs to provide 2 000 women and girls with menstrual products for a year. For Kasongo, the campaign is about much more than collecting pads. “Access to sanitary products can mean attending school without fear or embarrassment for a girl,” said Kasongo.
“For a working woman, it can mean going to work with confidence, rather than worrying about whether she has enough products.”
She added that no woman or girl should have to put her dreams on hold because she cannot afford a sanitary pad. Elevate Her Africa is calling on businesses, schools, churches, community organisations and individuals to become involved through donations, sponsorships and collection drives.
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“A sanitary pack may appear to be a small contribution,” said Kasongo, “but for the women and girls the campaign hopes to reach, its impact can be much bigger, offering confidence, dignity and one less obstacle standing between them and their dreams.”
The organisation also hopes the initiative will help communities have more open conversations about menstruation and challenge the stigma that continues to surround it. “At Elevate Her, we believe that when communities come together, we can help remove the stigma surrounding menstruation, while ensuring that women and girls have access to the products they need.”
Those who would like to support the campaign can contact Marie Joelle Kasongo on 076 453 7966, email info@elevateherafrica.co.za, or contribute via https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/36000-packs-2000-lives.
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