In an effort to fight period poverty this Mandela Day, leading gym Ignite Fitness has partnered with the MENstruation Foundation, led by Siv Ngesi and Marius Basson, to collect sanitary products to keep menstruating girls from missing a single school day.
In an effort to fight period poverty this Mandela Day, leading gym Ignite Fitness has partnered with the MENstruation Foundation, led by Siv Ngesi and Marius Basson, to collect sanitary products to keep menstruating girls from missing a single school day.
The MENstruation Foundation is a nonprofit organisation that fights period poverty and gives women dignity. Girls in South Africa often miss school and stay at home because of menstruation.
The culture of silence around menstruation limits the ability of women and girls to participate equally in society. It undermines their social status and self-esteem.
Nearly 40 000 sanitary products have already been donated to date.
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“In 2022, we collected 4000 pads in one week, imagine what we can do in one month!” says the global marketing manager for Ignite Fitness, Lauren Vanacore.
Members and non-members are all invited to attend training during this time period.
“The more members we reach, the more sanitary products we are able to collect. Currently, 3 in 10 girls miss one week of school every month because they simply don’t have access to a basic human right – sanitary products.”
“We want to try our best to do our part in making sure MENstruation is able to do the best job they can to help these girls. Sanitary Pads gets you access to our gyms!” adds Vanacore.
Written by Murray Swart for Cape ETC.
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