Empowering an African girl child: Sanitary towel drive and moral upliftment

In a heartwarming initiative to promote community engagement and academic citizenship, Unisa’s Eastern Cape Regional Student Representative Council (RSRC) collaborated with the Ethics Management Division and East London management staff to launch a sanitary towel drive. Held on 19 and 20 March 2025, this impactful event sought to support young girls in rural schools around East London by providing them with much-needed sanitary towels.

Bhongolwethu Senior Secondary School

The drive was not only a practical effort to assist young girls but also a significant educational platform. Representatives from the Eastern Cape Department of Education and the School Governing Body parental component were present to lend their support and highlight the importance of menstrual health and hygiene.

Reaching out to disadvantaged schools

The RSRC, along with the university’s Ethics Management Division, identified four disadvantaged schools in rural areas around East London to benefit from this initiative:

• Bhongolwethu Senior Secondary School
• Xhama Primary School
• Chintsa East Primary School
• Kwelerha Public School

At these schools, girls received sanitary towels to ensure they could manage their menstrual health with dignity. The initiative aimed to empower these young learners, helping them stay in school and focus on their education without the challenge of inadequate menstrual products.

Educational talks and ethical awareness

The drive was not just about distribution – it was also about education. Presentations were made by the Student Counselling Office (Nolwazi Somtsewu and Mbali Khubeka), Tuition and Facilitation of Learning units (Ntomboxolo Moni) and the Ethics Management Division (Zodidi Pinde), emphasising the historical struggles of the girl child in South Africa before liberation while maintaining African moral standards with global relevance as the African girl child. Additionally, young girls were educated on the best ways to manage menstruation, ensuring they received accurate and supportive information.

Xhama Primary School

Messages of encouragement and guidance were also delivered to parents, children, and educators, emphasising the importance of confidence, cleanliness, and menstrual management as part of a student’s well-being. The Eastern Cape Regional Director, Dr Makwena Molotja, spoke on the university’s commitment to community engagement, highlighting the significance of supporting girls and ensuring that menstruation does not become a barrier to education.

Chintsa East Primary School

A well-coordinated success

The event was smoothly facilitated and coordinated by Eastern Cape RSRC Secretary, Cinga Dlanjwa, alongside his dedicated colleagues. Their collective efforts ensured the success of this meaningful initiative, reinforcing Unisa’s commitment to social responsibility and the empowerment of young girls in disadvantaged communities.

Kwelerha Public School

The sanitary towel drive stands as a testament to the power of collective action in making a difference. By providing these essential resources and fostering open discussions on menstrual health, and the importance of ethical personal values for an African girl child, this initiative has taken a significant step toward ensuring that no girl is left behind in her educational journey.

* By Zodidi Pinde, Ethics Practitioner, Ethics Management Division: Deputy Registrar Governance, with input from Claude AI