Dignity in every pack

70 girls receive a year’s supply of hygiene products
Marina Antonio
  • 6 Days Ago

Seventy girls in Khomasdal have received a year’s supply of sanitary products and soap as part of Capricorn Group’s Dignity for Every Girl campaign, aimed at helping young women stay in school and manage their menstrual health with dignity.

The campaign collected 818 packets of sanitary pads and 296 bars of bath soap throughout September. The supplies were distributed at an outreach event on Friday, 25 September, at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare (MoGECW) After School Centre in Khomasdal.

The event was organised in partnership with the Imago Dei Welfare and Poverty Relief Association and brought together girls from Family of Hope, Helena’s Haven, Anita’s Soup Kitchen in Okahandja Park and the Khomasdal After School Centre.

Capricorn Group’s Marlize Horn said access to basic hygiene products should not prevent girls from attending school or participating fully in their communities. “Something as basic as access to sanitary products should never stand between a girl and her education, her confidence or her opportunity to succeed,” she said.

Horn also encouraged the girls to remain focused on their potential despite difficult circumstances. “Never allow your circumstances to define your potential. Believe in yourself. Support one another. Be courageous about your dreams, because each of you has something valuable to contribute to your community and to our country,” she said.

More than a hygiene drive

Period poverty can make it difficult for girls to manage menstruation at school, particularly when they do not have reliable access to sanitary products. The campaign aimed to help reduce that barrier by providing essential hygiene supplies directly to girls in need.

During the outreach, Capricorn Group employees, known as Changemakers, helped package and distribute the supplies and served meals to the participants.

The programme also included a session led by Justine Andreas of Dear Girl, who spoke to the girls about self-worth.

MoGECW social worker Maggy Katimba shared information about the community support work carried out at the centre.

For the girls who received the supplies, the campaign provided practical support that can make managing menstruation easier and help them remain focused on school and everyday life.

The initiative also brought together businesses, community organisations and volunteers around a challenge that affects the education and wellbeing of young girls.