Tiger Brands employee volunteerism drive to help Grade 6 and 7 adolescent girls with sanitary pads
Johannesburg. 5 May 2023. Close to 600 Grade 6 and 7 girl-learners from three schools based in Alexandra, Johannesburg, received a donation of 2 800 packs of sanitary pads from Tiger Brands, collected during an employee volunteerism drive across the country.
MC Weiler Primary School, Ekukhanyisweni Primary School and Ikage Primary School were selected as recipients of the Tiger Brands sanitary pads collection drive. These schools are also beneficiaries of the Tiger Brands Foundation’s national school breakfast nutrition programme in partnership with the Department of Basic Education’s National School Nutrition Programme.
Girl-learners from the three schools will each receive up to four sanitary pad packs. The schools will also receive additional packs to keep in stock.
Yolisa Mvunyisa, Principal of Ekukhanyisweni Primary School in Alexandra, Johannesburg, during the handover of sanitary pads for Grade 6 and 7 learners on Friday, 5 May 2023. Tiger Brands donated 2 800 sanitary pad packs to students at three schools in Alexandra - MC Weiler Primary School, Ekukhanyisweni Primary School and Ikage Primary School.
The internal Tiger Brands collection drive was led by an all-women Socio-Economic Development team with a passion for bringing dignity back to adolescent girls who lack access to sanitary pads.
According to recent research at least seven million girls are absent an average of 1.6 and 2.1 days every month, missing at least 25% of the learning year, because they are unable to afford sanitary pads.
“Tiger Brands is focused on uplifting society’s most vulnerable, be it through food security, as South Africa’s largest food producer, or giving young girls their dignity and confidence back during an important time of their lives and ensuring they are not robbed of their education unnecessarily. Our adolescent girls should know that they are cared for and supported,” says Preeya Naidu, Manager Socio-Economic Development, Tiger Brands.
Tiger Brands expects to run the collection drive regularly to ensure there is a sustained supply of sanitary pads to schools and encourages others to join the cause to bring dignity back to girls.
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