A local non-governmental organisation (NGO) provided sanitary products for around 300 learners in need at Kayamandi High School.
The sanitary supplies were provided by Amnesty International Stellenbosch (Amnesty Stellenbosch). This is according to Juanette Pienaar, outreach coordinator for Amnesty Stellenbosch. The high school received 177 packs of sanitary products on 31 March, said Pienaar.
Amnesty Stellenbosch provided 177 packs of sanitary products to needy learners at Kayamandi High School. PHOTO: Supplied/Angelique Daniels
“Not having access to sanitary products means that our learners miss out on classes during their periods, as they do not feel comfortable coming to school,” said Ntandokazi Mtotose, a teacher at Kayamandi High School, via WhatsApp message to MatieMedia.
Amnesty Stellenbosch organised for the sanitary products to be delivered to the school within two weeks of Mtotose reaching out to them about the problem, according to Pienaar.
“It is a vicious cycle. You miss school because you are uncomfortable… and many other reasons. You miss more school trying to catch up and it just does not get better. We want to stop that,” said Pienaar.
A further 96 packs of sanitary products will be delivered to the school during the second week of April, according to Pienaar.
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) confirmed that affording sanitary products is a problem for poorer learners.
“[WCED] are concerned how this affects their (learner’s) school attendance on a monthly basis, and thus their opportunities for a good education,” said Bronagh Hammond, director of communications at WCED, in email correspondence with MatieMedia.
The WCED is working on projects and initiatives to raise awareness around learners’ lack of access to sanitary products, according to Hammond.
Juanette Pienaar explains how a lack of sanitary supplies impacts school attendance.
Amnesty Stellenbosch plans to address the shortage of sanitary products in the community in a more sustainable way in the future, said Pienaar.
Om hierdie storie in Afrikaans te lees, kliek hier.