WOMEN’S WELLNESS GETS A BOOST

BY CARMEL ROBERTS

Period poverty is rife around the world and also exists at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), where desperate students resort to using socks when menstruating because they cannot afford sanitary pads or tampons.

A new initiative to elevate student wellness at UWC began on March 8, International Women’s Day, and its first act was the provision of sanitary pads to students. The initiative is a collaboration between the Student Representative Council (SRC) and the Department of Institutional Advancement.

The sanitary pad project was part of a broader campaign under the umbrella of the #UdubsCares wellness initiative for students. More than 200 units of toothpaste were also distributed. The university already has a food security programme and assists students through its Access to Success campaign for student tuition, its Wysa app for student wellness and its Centre for Student Support Services.

Research by the Household Affordability Index, which tracks food price data, has revealed a steep year-on-year increase in the cost of a household food basket. Data from 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries in the country’s biggest cities shows that year-on-year, the cost of the basket in Cape Town increased by almost R170. Items listed exclude hygiene or cleaning products.

Escalating living expenses affect everyone. #UdubsCares aims to alleviate some of this burden for students, particularly in the areas of hygiene and wellness products. After many female students approached the SRC office on main campus asking for sanitary pads, Institutional Advancement agreed to assist.

Inathi Gogela, the SRC gender and security officer, said many students become so desperate that they use cloths or socks as an alternative. “They don’t have access to sanitary pads and often they also don’t have money to purchase them. As an SRC member, I have a duty to increase the accessibility to sanitary pads around campus because some students travel from far to the university and have to wait until they are on campus before they can request help,” she said.

Gogela’s sentiments are shared by SRC deputy secretary-general Marcfalda Mogola. “As a female SRC member, I have my own sanitary pad bag and often I take my own sanitary pads if a student is in need. Some students can’t go to class because they are menstruating and don’t have the necessary hygiene and health products,” said Mogola.

An alumnus of the university, Nigel Ogle of The Barn, donated 2,000 pads. “As a former UWC student, it was really important for me to get involved. What is even more important is that I am the father of two daughters who, fortunately, will have access to sanitary pads of their choice without concern. I truly felt the need to help female students who don’t have the same option due to accessibility and financial constraints,” said Ogle.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Student Development and Support, Professor Matete Madiba, welcomed the initiative. “In honour of International Women’s Day, I am delighted to announce a collaborative initiative aimed at providing female students in our institution with access to sanitary products. We cannot ignore the fact that some of our students struggle to acquire menstrual hygiene products, which can have an adverse effect on their health, academic success and overall well-being, and undermine their dignity,” she said.

I encourage everyone in the UWC community to support our female students. Together, we can make a significant impact on their lives.

“To ensure that every student in our community has access to menstrual hygiene products, regardless of their financial status, the Division of Student Development and Support has teamed up with our student leaders and the Department of Institutional Advancement. I encourage everyone in the UWC community to support our female students. Together, we can make a significant impact on their lives.”