Caring4Girls is a sanitary towels distribution programme which strives to help keep young girls in school during their monthly cycles. Research has shown that underpriveleged girls can miss up to 50 days of school per year due to lack of access to adequate feminine hygiene.
In addition to distributing sanitary towels, Caring4Girls provides health education on puberty and adolescence to demystify menstrual related myths and break down societal taboos.
The programme was started in 2012 after Richard Mabaso (concept innovator) overhead a fearful conversation between his mom and niece about menstruation which to this day is deemed taboo by many societies. Recognising that this fear and lack of understanding existed even within his own family, Mr Mabaso developed Caring4Girls to address the problem on a National scale.
In addition to distribution of sanitary pads, the Caring4Girls programme focuses on the following areas of education and training:
♦ Physical and emotional changes associated with puberty,
♦ Menstrual hygiene management,
♦ Building self-confidence and self-respect,
♦ Handling, usage and disposal of sanitary towels in poor and rural schools or communities.
Imbumba Foundation established Caring4Girls and Trek4Mandela to achieve the following:
♦ To reach as many underprivileged girls as possible to support them with sanitary pads
♦ Menstrual Hygiene Management Training
– which includes how to handle, use and dispose of sanitary towels in both rural and urban environments
♦ Leadership development of the girl child through the Vision2020 Youth Leadership Programme
