The scale of the problem
When you embark on a mission to help a cause, the very first thing you need to do is identify the scale of the cause–essentially, what you’re up against.
For us, that started as a community initiative in Diepsloot, Johannesburg–one of the poorest and most densely populated townships in South Africa. This societal mix of hardships gives way to all manner of other problems including, crime, poor sanitary and hygiene conditions, and delinquency.
This first outreach essentially opened an unexpected flood of inbound enquiries from schools in the same situation. As word got around, that need just kept on growing to the point where it seemed infinite. In fact, we discovered that 7,000,000 young women experience period poverty in South Africa. This figure still blows our mind, as we had no idea of the scale of the problem.
Naturally, this causes a lot of manufacturing and logistical challenges. It also creates many amazing opportunities to support local economies.
Getting the right product was a major challenge. The product has to be biodegradable, free from any pollutants, and ideally manufactured in SA. After requesting tenders from various suppliers, we found V & G Personal Products (Pty) Ltd, an amazing manufacturer based in Cape Town. They are doing a wonderful job in producing and packaging the sanitary towels we send out.
Next was the distribution network. We use drivers local to the schools we serve. We don’t accept volunteers; we are more than happy to pay them a wage, and we place a lot of trust in them. They don’t just deliver the products; they make sure they land directly into the hands of the young girls that need them – we leave nothing to chance.
Your money will not just help to eradicate period poverty in South Africa; it will also be instrumental in growing the local economies we serve.
Even a small donation can go a very long way. Please do it today.
