Thousands of pads donated to vulnerable girls
On 11 October, the world commemorated International Day of the Girl Child, an annual and internationally recognised observance that empowers girls and amplifies their voices by creating awareness of their challenges.In celebration of this day, the Capricorn Group and its employees donated 15 800 sanitary pads and 270 reusable pads to more than 70 vulnerable young girls from orphanages and other vulnerable communities in Windhoek under the “Dignity for Every Girl” initiative.
Very often, what is known as “period poverty” keeps girls out of school for several days every month, and directly influences their dignity as females. To restore their dignity and raise awareness of the challenges many girls face, Capricorn Group used the opportunity to support Namibia’s Girl Child tangibly and called on their employees to donate sanitary pads.
The Group’s donation ensured that 70 young girls received a monthly supply of disposal sanitary pads for a year and three washable pads that can last up to five years. The reusable/washable sanitary pads were accompanied by a small guidance booklet, were purchased by the Capricorn Foundation through DEAR (Daring Eagle Attaining Results) Girl Namibia, a long-standing CSR partner of the Capricorn Foundation that focuses on empowering and inspiring Namibian girls, particularly in deprived communities.
“Research shows that the dignity as well as education of underprivileged girls is affected due to the lack of access to adequate feminine hygiene products,” Marlize Horn, Group Executive: Brand & Corporate Affairs and Executive Officer: Capricorn Foundation, said.
“The Capricorn Group believes in supporting projects that address the basic needs of the vulnerable, especially the youth. For this reason, we encouraged our employees to sign up for this initiative, to spend time with the group of 70 girls, and to use their resources to purchase these feminine hygiene products. This way, we are all doing our part to support and empower a young girl and addressing period poverty.”
The handover of the sanitary pads was accompanied by an afternoon filled with fun events, a hearty meal for the girls, and an inspirational talk by Justine Andreas, the founder of Dear Girl Namibia. The remaining pads donated by Capricorn Group’s employees will be distributed by Imago Dei, one of the Group’s CSR implementation partners to vulnerable girls in other communities.
The Capricorn Foundation committed N$168 210 to DEAR Girl Namibia earlier this year, enabling them to support 500 girls in various schools nationwide with sanitary products and information booklets.
Since July 2023, Okulupa Combined School, the Oshigambo High School in the Oshikoto region, Da Palm Senior Secondary School in the Erongo region, Uitkoms Primary School, Hardap region, Kavango West and Omusati region have benefitted from the project with more outreaches planned in Kavango West and Omusati regions.