COMMUNITY
BELLA LEGACY: DOING IT
FOR OUR GIRLS
IF YOU HAVE EVER VISITED THE BROWNSENSE MARKET @ THE FARM, OR @JOZIBURG, YOU HAVE NO DOUBT BUMPED INTO MATEFO MORAKENG. A pint-sized ray of sunshine on any given Sunday, she quickly gets serious when talking about the challenges faced by girlchildren in our country when it comes to menstruation. Matefo muses, “As a product, pads speak directly to me. Some families have to make the difficult choice between buying sanitary pads, and buying food, which in the end means girls end up using cloths, dangerous items such as newspapers and toilet papers, or anything that can help during menstruation”. It’s a sobering thought, considering government provides free condoms which are widely available countrywide. Reflecting on World Menstrual Hygiene Day, Matefo says one of the biggest challenges around the issue remains the mystery around menstruation. “In some cultures, talking about menstruation is still a taboo, and it results in girls and women not being adequately armed with the right information and resources to help them during their time of the month. We also still have areas where ablution facilities leave much to be desired, and some do not even provide for privacy”, adds Matefo.
While government works at getting sanitary wear zero-rated – tax free, it’s important to recognise that all citizens play a part in solving such issues; “BrownSense Market has been one of our best platforms so far. Many people who support us identify with the plight of women and girls, and often do not even ask many questions. Brownies have really stepped up to the plate with their generosity and their wallets”, she says. Matefo adds that national government could take a page out of Kenya and KZN’s playbook: a free pad policy in girls’ schools. Join us by contributing towards someone’s annual pad allocation: R180 - 12 months supply R90 - 6 months supply R45 - 3 months supply Bella Legacy ABSA Account Number: 4092003216 Branch code: 632005 Ref:Your Name & Number BrownSense Wallet 0799457067
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