06 December 2010

The Northern Cape Provincial Government is partnering with the South African Broadcasting Cooperation (SABC) and ABSA to provide sanitary towels/pads to thousands of needy school going girls and women in the province. The Premier Ms Hazel Jenkins and her entire Executive Committee will launch this laudable campaign in the John Taolo Gaetsewe region, in Heuningvlei on Tuesday, 07 December 2010 at 10am by distributing 50 000 Sanitary Towels.

Heuningvlei and surrounding areas are rural communities were girls live miles away from shops and this campaign will give them the freedom to be themselves and live fulfilling lives.

According to a recent survey, at least 60% of South African girls and women cannot afford sanitary towels/pads. As a consequence fifty days of school are lost and many of them resort to unhygienic measures during menstruation.

The SABC initiated a project to collect sanitary towels for indigent school girls and young women as its signature Women’s Month Campaign. In learning of this most laudable of attempts by the SABC the Premier, Ms Hazel Jenkins, accorded the campaign her immediate and unconditional support, with the singular endeavour of restoring the self-esteem and dignity of these young girls and women.

The Provincial Government intends to encourage more partners especially from our private sector to collaborate in this effort to provide our girls with the necessary support needed to live healthy lives.

ISSUED BY THE OFFICE OF THE PREMIER

SPOKESPERSON

MAFU DAVIDS

0823166000