Queen’s Foundation donates sanitary pads

FamCast News
10 months ago

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Letšeng Diamonds, in partnership with local non-governmental organisation (NGO) Hlokomela Banana recently handed over a consignment of sanitary towels to Thamae LECSA Primary School female pupils.

Hlokomela Banana was founded in 2015 as an initiative of Queen ‘Masenate Bereng Seeiso under The Queen’s National Trust Fund. It seeks to restore the dignity of Basotho girls, some of who miss school for over 50 days annually when they are on their monthly periods.

Thamae LECSA becomes the first primary school in the country to be adopted by the organisation, which has already taken several high schools under its wing.

The mine donated 1848 packets of sanitary towels worth M9240 to 77 girls to cover the whole year.

The coordinator of Hlokomela Banana, ‘Makhamathoane Malie, said they realised that some girls experience their menstrual cycle early before leaving primary school, hence their decision to include them.

She said they were thankful that the mine was able to assist by not leaving primary school girls out.

Since its establishment in 2016, Hlokomela Banana has reached more than 30 000 girls in high schools around the country, ensuring that their education is not interrupted by their periods. This gives them equal opportunities to reach for their dreams and contribute to Lesotho’s future.  

A teacher at Thamae LECSA Primary, ‘Mampho Matlokotsi said this initiative started on March 20 2023 after she had approached one of the girls at the school who comes from a struggling family to find out how she copes while on her periods.

Matlokotsi said she learned that the young female learner had a torrid time because she could not afford sanitary pads.

“She told me that she normally uses a piece of cloth during these times, and that her mother sometimes asks neighbours to assist. On days when her mother has some cash, she can only afford to buy a single pad which does not last the duration of the menstruation and she goes back to use a piece of cloth.

“This prompted me to look for ways to help her. I bought her a packet of 12, but I knew that was not enough, given that there were more girls in her position. So, on March 30 2023 I approached Letšeng Diamonds for help and they heeded my request, hence this initiative.”

Matlokotsi said this programme does not end at donating sanitary towels, but is also about restoring the girls’ dignity and self-confidence.  

“We also teach the girls how to carry themselves when they are on their periods, with particular emphasis on hygiene,” she added.

For his part, the cooperate social responsibility and administrator of Letšeng Diamonds, Tṧepo Hlojeng, said the mine is a corporate citizen committed to undertaking corporate social responsibility, therefore the donation is consistent with this ideal.

Hlojeng indicated that the programme responds to two issues, namely unemployment and the fact that some girl children do not attend school when they are on their periods due lack of sanitary towels.

“One of our ideals is to improve the lives of every Mosotho by providing them with jobs at the mine, but it is not everyone that can be hired at the mine.

“As Letšeng, we fully align ourselves with children’s rights to education. We hope this donation will go a long way towards ensuring that every girl child attends school at all times, even when they are on their periods,” he indicated. Hlojeng added that there would still be need for more sanitary towels after the initial 12 months, and pledged more donations.

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