A partnership to keep girls in school

RESPONSIBLE MINING

A PARTNERSHIP to keep girls in school

Glencore Ferroalloys has partnered with the Imbumba Foundation, one of the leading organisations involved in keeping girls in school, to assist female learners from their host communities.

According to statistics, in South Africa a girl child misses up to 50 days of school in a year due to a lack of adequate menstrual hygiene support. While a few individuals and organisations have begun to shed light on the impact of this deficit, this issue continues to affect girl children in many different parts of the country.

In August, Glencore handed over sanitary pads to the girls in communities near their operations to ensure sanitary pad supplies for a full year for each girl child.

“We are very proud to be partnering with the Imbumba Foundation, as this initiative ensures that girl children are being kept in school during their menstrual cycle, elevating their dignity and self-esteem. Through this partnership, we are empowering and fostering confidence in young girls by removing obstacles that may limit their learning experience and negatively impact their future,” says Conroy van der Westhuizen, chief community and social responsibility officer at Glencore Ferroalloys.

Keeping girls in school

The Imbumba Foundation is a non-profit organisation established to bring about social change and economic upliftment within rural and economically marginalised communities in Southern Africa. The foundation’s flagship initiative, Caring4Girls, was established with the aim to support indigent girls with sanitary towels, puberty education and menstrual hygiene to keep them in school. To date, the programme has empowered over a million girl children across South Africa and neighbouring countries.

Caring4Girls will supply the sanitary pads that are of high absorbent quality, SABS approved, affordable and locally manufactured, which also contributes to job creation. These sanitary towels can be found at West Pack Lifestyle and Big Save, where all proceeds are redirected to the Caring4Girls initiative. Through this partnership, Glencore and Imbumba will donate sanitary towel 12-packs to 6 700 girls from schools near Glencore’s operations.

“We are grateful and excited to partner with Glencore; it is through such partnerships that we can ensure that all girls, regardless of race and status, have access to equal opportunities educationally, economically and socially,” says Richard Mabaso, founder of the Imbumba Foundation.

The partnership between Glencore and Imbumba is the start of a long-lasting relationship set to positively impact thousands of young girls. This year, South Africa celebrated Women’s Month under the theme ‘Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights for an Equal Future’.

School girls received sanitary pads to ensure they don’t miss class