Linekela Halwoodi
Swakop Uranium has donated 1 000 packs of sanitary pads and soap items to the Erongo governor’s office on behalf of the Lotus Foundation.
“Sanitary pads are not a luxury; they are a necessity, and it is our joint responsibility, as parents and members of our community, to hold hands so that we can ensure our girls have access to sanitary pads,” Swakop Uranium CEO Qiu Bin said.
“A young girl missing school because we, as the community, have not made sanitary pads available at schools should not be tolerated in our community. Access to sanitary pads for young girls, particularly from low-income householders, is an area of improvement we all need to prioritise.”
The Swakop Uranium launched the SU Sanitary Drive in 2021, which benefited approximately 2 000 girls in the Erongo region. The SU Sanitary Drive has reached girls in Okombahe, Modesa and Tutaleni last year. During his acceptance remarks, Erongo governor Andre Neville applauded the efforts by Swakop Uranium, saying “I would like to thank Swakop Uranium for their cooperation with the Office of the Governor in particular for the donation yet again today, which shows a stronger relationship and cooperation in developing our region with Swakop Uranium”.
He added menstrual health and hygiene are essential to the well-being and empowerment of women and adolescent girls – as, on any given day, about 300 million women worldwide are menstruating.
“While 500 million lack access to menstrual products and adequate facilities to menstrual hygiene, such as water and sanitation as well as hygiene facilities and affordable menstrual hygiene material without embarrassment or stigma,” Andre said.
The Lotus Foundation is an Erongo-based non-profit organisation that sources and donates sanitary products to marginalised menstruating adolescents, Lotus Foundation founder Marilyn Eibes said.
Thus far, the Lotus Foundation, which works in collaboration with schools in Erongo, has distributed at least 4 500 sanitary pads to girls in need, who are identified through life skills teachers.