Sisi Safety Wear and the Stellenbosch Municipality provided much-needed sanitary products to underprivileged girls, who often miss school during their periods.

In commemoration of Youth Month, Sisi, a safety wear brand for women within the BBF Safety Group, has partnered with the Stellenbosch Municipality and the Department of Education to donate reusable sanitary pads to 427 girls, across seven schools, in the greater Stellenbosch area.

The brand, which has brought much needed awareness around the differences between the anatomy of men and women and the need for gender specific personal protective equipment in the workforce, to improve productivity and comfort to working women, wanted to address the issues surrounding absenteeism of young girls from school due to the unaffordability of sanitary hygiene products when menstruating.

According to a study by the Stellenbosch University’s Law Clinic,  about 30% of girls in South Africa miss  school when they are menstruating, because they cannot afford sanitary products.  As such, a girl could lose about 90 days of schooling a year, due to issues relating to menstruation.

Many can’t catch up on vital schoolwork, ruining their end-year results, and their chances to earn grades that would qualify them for tertiary education.  “This is such an exciting project. It’s not just about donating sanitary pads to these girls; it’s about giving them a future. As a rising number of working women enter into areas once deemed the preserve of men, it is important that girls receive a solid education that sets them up to receive a tertiary education in the fields of commerce and sciences,” says Vanessa Ronald, Senior Brand Manager at Sisi.

Along with professional organisations, such as Sonke Gender Justice, a South African-based non-profit organisation working throughout Africa, the initiative is also educating these girls about the changes that occur in their body once puberty begins, and to reassure them that menstruation is a natural process that every woman goes through. It further touches on issues relating to a girls right to protect herself and her body from advances by men that make them feel uncomfortable.

Supported by the Department of Health, nurses from the clinics in the area explained the right that these young ladies have to healthcare and encouraged them to seek advise if they were experiencing problems or had further questions relating to menstruation and the changes that occur in a young girls body as they enter women-hood.

“What’s even more exciting is that we have formed a partnership with the Stellenbosch municipality and the Department of Education to expand our reach on an annual basis and encourage other key players in industry to get involved to make a difference,” says Ronald.

Stellenbosch Municipality Communications Manager Stuart Grobbelaar says the municipality is aware that absenteeism from school due to a lack of sanitary products is a reality for many.

“We therefore wanted to get involved in this initiative in a sustainable and collaborative way that builds relationships and connects with different stakeholders instead of just gathering donations to be dropped off at schools,” he says.

The reusable Subzpads are developed, designed and manufactured by Sue Barnes, founder of Project Dignity, and are made of five layers of specialised fabrics.

“It’s an all-fabric product that uses no chemicals or gels for absorption, and is essentially a health product that is also eco-friendly,” she says.

“We think long and hard about how to allocate our CSI funds as we don’t just want to be a corporate that signs a cheque; we want to understand the challenges that are facing a community and provide sustainable solutions. These pads were specifically chosen because they are reusable and are designed to last for five years. As a result, we reduce the monthly demand on sanitary products by these young girls, which in turn allows us to expand out reach,” concludes Ronald.

A social worker has welcomed the initiative, saying it’s vital that the scourge of period-related school absenteeism be addressed and that girls are also taught about the changes to their bodies during puberty, setting them up to make more responsible decisions during their schooling years.

She says, “When young girls experience their first period, they are often unsure of what is happening to them and think that they are suffering from a disease. They even fear that they are dying.”

A principal of one of the participating schools has also welcomed the project, saying that period-related absenteeism is a huge problem in some communities and has a profound effect on the girls’ long-term education.

“Their absence from school during their primary years heavily impacts the foundation of vital subjects, making the chances of success in these subjects more challenging as they progress through the school system,” he says.

To read more about Sisi, visit: https://www.sisi.co.za/