Glencore, Imbumba Foundation partner to enhance menstrual health for girl children

According to statistics, a South African girl child misses up to 50 days of school in a year due to the lack of adequate menstrual hygiene support, and Glencore Ferroalloys’ partnership with Imbumba Foundation aims to address this issue.

Empowering the girl child

The Glencore sanitary pad drive kicked off on Friday, 6 August with the distribution of the first batch of sanitary pads to learners at Rauwane Sepeng Senior Secondary School in Rustenburg.

In attendance was Glencore Ferroalloys’ enterprise development superintendent, Charlin Ntuli, Imbumba Foundation representatives, Proverb from Idols SA and Thuthuka Mthembu from SABC 1 drama, Uzalo. Glencore’s inhouse nurse Sister Tessa, who provided the girls with menstrual hygiene and puberty education, was also in attendance.

Ntuli, who gave the opening address, said that the partnership between Glencore and Imbumba Foundation was in line with Glencore’s commitment to progress together with communities.

“As Glencore, we have recognised that we cannot move forward or effect real change unless we can make a meaningful impact in the lives of the people within our communities.

"Through this partnership we are proud to know that none of the girls in the schools within our communities will have to miss even a day of school because they don’t have menstrual pads,” Ntuli said.

6,700 girls to benefit from the initiative

Imbumba Foundation, a non-profit organisation established to bring social change and economic upliftment within rural and economically marginalised communities in Southern Africa, has been supplying sanitary pads through its Caring4Girls initiative.

To date, the programme has empowered over 1 million girl children across South Africa and neighbouring countries. Through the Glencore partnership, the initiative is donating 12 packs of sanitary towels to 6,700 girls from schools near the mining company’s operations.

Both Proverb and Mthembu gave the girls words of encouragement on the day, reminding them not to let their circumstances negatively impact on their bright future.

“The partnership between Imbumba and Glencore is not just important, it is life-changing ... I hope every young girl present today will feel more empowered because of what Glencore and Imbumba have done,” Proverb said.