Social stigma, ridicule, loss of education—all challenges that burden young women as a result of period poverty. Ask any one of the 120 girls we’ve helped at Reagile Primary School in Thembisa, a township in South Africa.
But as much as we’ve helped them as individuals, the problem itself creates an even greater challenge for society—progression.
Let us not forget that the educated youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. When you consider that those in period poverty lose up to 60 days of education a year—affecting millions of young women—you start to see how South African society as a whole loses out.
South Africa is a stunningly beautiful country. Its people are vibrant, positive, and strive to help one another. But much of this ambition is hindered by the reduction in education that period poverty brings.
Our commitment to eradicating period poverty isn’t just driven by our passion to help those young students; it’s also powered by our pursuit of a better South Africa—one that can hold its head up on the global stage and be counted. But we can only achieve this by addressing issues at a grassroots level.
Sadly, our government is failing its people in too many ways to mention here.
We need your help—not just for healthier, happier girls who are free from social stigma and unsanitary methods of managing their monthly cycles, but to build a better future for all South Africans. Please get involved with our cause and become instrumental in creating a better, genuinely more progressive world.