Miss TUT Pretoria, Ms Boitumelo Matjila (25), in partnership with Tshwane FM, State Theatre, Bua and Samuel Akinbodunse Foundation (SAF), started an initiative to keep a girl child in school by donating pads and other toiletries to the learners of Elandspoort High School and Bokgoni Technical Secondary School in Attredgeville.
Ms Matjila said her heart is close to the youth and that sanitary pads should be made a basic need and be distributed freely similar to condoms.
“I have seen how young girls struggle to ask their peers for a pad, but if sanitary pads are made freely available, young girls would not have to skip school or feel embarrassed to ask for pads.
“Girls need to know that we accept them for who they are and we understand the struggle because being on periods shouldn’t have to be a shame,” she said.
The CEO of SAF, Mr Emmanuel Adeniji, said it is the social responsibility of the foundation to enhance the dignity of life.
“We believe that every child is a foundation of the community, through a child a nation can be built. Irrespective of your background as a child you are entitled to basic needs,” he said.
