Ever wondered why condoms are free but sanitary products are not?
The Rotary Club of Century City Cape Town (RCCCCT) has been asking this question and hopes to provide a sustainable solution.
RCCCCT has recently partnered with Menstruation Foundation and O’Graceland who have designed, marketed and installed close to 40 vending machines in areas in need.
Last week Rotary members set up an exhibition at the Table Bay Mall to demonstrate the sanitary pad vending machine. The club is focused on keeping young girls in school. They are raising funds to install a machine at their first school Silverleaf Primary School in Dunoon.
“The principal NS Nomazonkhe has welcomed and thanked the Rotary for choosing their school and says the girls will benefit and it will also assist in sexual education at the school,” says Deidre Crouser from RCCCCT.
The machine, which is not reliant on electricity, is tamper-proof and works on a simple token system where a social worker or a teacher will have a logbook to control the handing out of the tokens.
Each month the girls will use a token to receive their sanitary products.
The machine is refilled regularly, creating a controlled, safe and high-quality sanitary product distribution solution,” Crouser says.
“Collection will assist the school with attendance as girls no longer need to miss school due to their periods. The primary aim of this project is to allow young girls the right to an education with dignity,” she says.
Anyone interested in donating to this sustainable solution or wanting more information, contact the club president at deon@rcccct.org.za or call 083 602 5227.
