“If Men Had Periods, Pads Would Be Free” – Now They Are
Everyday, a girl or woman gets their period making their life twice as hard, bearing pain and still having to serve their purpose to society. 28 May is World Menstrual Hygiene Day, dedicated to raising awareness about period poverty experienced by 1 of 3 girls in South Africa. MENstruation Foundation has been working to give dignity to young girls during their period, and towards a period poverty free South Africa.
MENstruation Foundation x Joe Public
Sivuyile Ngesi commonly known as Siv, born and bred in the infamous township Gugulethu in Cape Town, saw the struggles a girl child goes through and that is how the MENstruation Foundation was born. The proclaimed actor and producer believes that if men had a period, pads would be free and freely spoken of. Siv aims to give young girls and women a dignified 5 days of each month without missing school or work and freely get through each of these days.
According to MENstruation Foundation, out of 8 million women cannot afford sanitary pads, 4 million are in school and each month they miss 4-5 days of their school days, amounting to 60 days a year.
With the help of friends, associates and people of one mindset, MESNstruation Foundation came up with an incredible invention. They created a vending machine that uses tokens to get free pads. Babalwa Latsha, the first woman to play international rugby, also coming from an unprivileged background, attests and highly promotes the MENstruation Foundation. As the director of the foundation, she has worn the pads produced by their company for her games and says they are comfortable and high quality.
In each pack, there are 8 pads, to help sustain a girl on her cycle. These machines are placed in both high schools and universities for all women and girls experiencing period poverty. The aim of this invention is to end this poverty and make South Africa a better place for all. Different institutions are already privileged to have these machines to make girls’ lives easy and more focus on their education. Women bring much value to the world; therefore, the world should rise and end period poverty.
Joe Public has entered the group chat, ensuring every South African is involved in this movement. Soon to release a great idea on three South African newspapers in Johannesburg, KwaZulu Natal and Cape Town. Aiming for front page, Joe Public together with Siv Ngesi, aim to raise awareness for the 28 May, next week Thursday, for menstrual hygiene day.
The idea behind the newspaper goes back to a horrible experience a girl went through, using a newspaper as a tampon just to make it to school. The newspaper hid the shame and not the blood. Every 28 days a woman experiences their periods, for 5 days a week. Women and young girls deserve a better experience around the world.
