Page 35 - Winning Women 2017

BWASA 35

It’s not just about resources...

IT’S
IT’S

ABOUT
ABOUT

INFO
INFO

THAT
THAT

CHANGES
CHANGES

LIVES
LIVES

SANITARY SISTA Bongiwe Mkhize from the Cape Town branch of the Businesswomen’s Association visits pupils at Beacon School
This project doesn’t just distribute sanitary The initiative has distributed more
than 5 000 packs to young women.
towels. It empowers girls to navigate their For 2017, the project aimed to reach
challenges, writes Jacquelyn Guillen another 1 000, and set its fundraising
goal to R350 000.
In 2010, a survey conducted by
ome girls do not own underwear. If Statistics South Africa reported that at
they can’t afford underwear, how least 60% of South African girls and
Scan they afford sanitary women could not afford sanitary
protection? protection. But distribution was not the
“If you look at food on the table and only concern.
sanitary protection, which do you In Limpopo, the educational
choose?” said Joy Lange, director of St component of the project was
Anne’s Home in Cape Town. important to the community too.
The Sanitary Sistas project, an “From a sustainability view, we cannot
initiative by the Businesswomen’s keep going [to schools and shelters] to
Association of South Africa, provides distribute disposable pads,” Msiza said.
sanitary wear to underprivileged girls “I think there should be knowledge
and women. It also teaches young girls and sharing.”
about their reproductive health and Msiza said teenage pregnancy was a
empowers them to learn more about concern – which was why girls needed
their bodies. to learn about reproduction and
The project is established in three sexually transmitted diseases.
regions – Cape Town, Durban and Bongiwe Mkhize from the association’s
Limpopo. Cape Town branch said one of the
When Mmabogoshi Bella Msiza was highlights of working on this project
elected as the chairperson of the was bringing the private sector,
Businesswomen’s Association’s Limpopo government and communities together.
chapter last year, she realised there In April 2016, members of Parliament
wasn’t much social investment in her asked the government to provide free
province. access to sanitary towels for
“The association believes that women impoverished women.
empowerment must be seeded. It must Last year, Sanitary Sistas supported
be nurtured and harvested throughout a GIFT BAGS The girls received these packs removing the VAT on sanitary wear.
woman’s life,” Msiza said. containing underwear and sanitary towels “We as citizens of the country can
Msiza and her committee started from the Cape Town branch make this country a better place,”
looking for sponsors to fund the Mkhize said.
sanitary packs and Absa came on board worth R350. Each bag contained three “The line that I always like to use is:
with a donation of R100 000. sets of panties, nine washable reusable be an active participant. Be an active
Two schools, one in Sekhukune and sanitary towels that are biodegradable, citizen. I think as women it’s important
one in Mopani, were identified and 400 10 re-sealable zipper storage bags and an for us to do initiatives that support
girls received personalised carry bags information booklet. women.”