With the aim of eradicating period poverty, close to 70 000 girls across the province have benefited from outreach initiatives of a local organisation.
Founded by Lindsay Adams, the Mitchells Plain-based #AgainstPeriodPoverty was born from the plight of two girls in her community in 2019. Since then she has dedicated her time to educating girls on menstrual health, while also keeping them in school through consistent donations of sanitary pads.
Having started in Mitchells Plain, the organisation has since expanded to areas outside the city.
On Monday 12 August, Adams visited Edendale Primary School in Manenberg.
Here, 110 girls in grades 4 to 7 benefited from the outreach, receiving a pack of sanitary pads and engaging with Adams.
The talks not only offer the girls important information on menstrual health, but also becomes a safe space for the girls to ask questions.
This was the first time visiting the school and adds to the 53 schools already on the organisation’s roster.
To date 68301 girls have been reached through the organisation officially registered last year.
They visit not only schools, but religious institutions, feeding schemes and any other gathering of girls that may benefit.
Adams says transportation and donations of menstrual hygiene products remains a constant need for the organisation to continue reaching more girls in need.
