Muse, a local non-profit organisation held its much-anticipated fundraiser recently at Southbroom.

The event was a grand success and just over a whopping R100 000 was raised.
Muse is the heartbeat project of friends, Danielle Beekman and Simmi Fink and the organisation is aimed at ending period poverty as well as the stigma that surrounds it.

Money raised from this event will go towards the development and distribution of reusable, environmentally-friendly sanitary products and underwear.

These products are to be produced in South Africa by South African women for South African women.

Statistics show that around 14 billion kilograms of disposable menstrual products end up in landfills and oceans every year.

Muse plans on alleviating this issue by introducing these recyclable and sustainable products. The project’s seed was planted two years ago and is finally ready to take off.

Having been involved in community projects before, both Danielle and Simmi want to use this organisation to educate females and communities as a whole about menstrual health.

“We want to teach women to trust their bodies and be able to speak openly about having a period. Once you understand your body, you will no longer feel that disconnect,” explained Danielle.

Muse has started working with key players within various communities to understand their needs and determine the best ways to assist. The initial focus area is between Port Shepstone and Port Edward.

Once the products are ready for distribution, they can be purchased directly from Muse or can be obtained on a unique ‘paying it forward’ through a kind gesture basis.

“We want to make these products personal to each girl and help them see that they are not limited by their circumstances,” said Simmi. For more information or to get involved, contact Danielle Beekman on 082 7297919.

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