Excited Barrage Primary School learners

2015 Sanitary Towel donation at Barrage Primary School in Sedibeng

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL), led by Hon Speaker Ntombi Mekgwe and the Hon Chairperson of the Multi Party Women’s Caucus Thokozile Magagula, will on Friday, 12 August 2016, donate 1300 sanitary towels to girl learners in two Gauteng schools.

This donation will empower girls by making sure they do not need to miss a single day of school.

Studies have revealed that some girl learners miss school for several days a month due to their monthly cycle. This has an adverse impact on their education to the extent that some even drop out of school as a result of this. By donating these sanitary towels, GPL hopes to make a positive impact on the education of girl learners from these schools and restore their confidence and dignity.

The objective of this donation is to empower girl learners by ensuring that they do not miss a single day of schooling due to a lack of adequate sanitary protection.

The two schools earmarked for this programme are Tiisetso-Bekezela Primary School (Kanana Park) and Ematsheni Primary School (Bronkhorstspruit).

Schoolgirls in uniform

Learners at the Barrage School visit

Both these schools are no fee paying schools and are situated in areas which are characterized by poor socio-economic conditions with most community members being highly affected by unemployment.

Tiisetso-Bekezela Primary School and Ematjeni School have 480 and 123 girl learners respectively. The donation of sanitary towels to these schools would serve as a much need intervention to 603 girl learners from impoverished communities.

During the two separate events, girl learners will be provided with information and guidance on physical and emotional changes experienced during the challenging period of menstruation.

This initiative is part of GPL’s Women’s month programme in honouring and paying tribute to the countless brave women of 1956 who played a significant role in liberating our country and in shaping the freedom and democracy we enjoy today.