CAPE Town – Bridgetown based non-profit Bridge House has its mission set to better the lives of women and girl on the Cape Flats one pad at a time.
Bridge House founder, Tasmin October, says that the organisation will donate 2022 packets of sanitary towels this year to girls and women in need all across the Cape Flats.
“I have always been running a pad drive, but it became a serious thing for me since 2019. This year I am running a 2022 pack sanitary towel drive. I have reached half that target within a month and a half. It will be an ongoing thing, even after we have passed our year’s target since many people and NGOs have reached out to us,” October said.
On the 22 February, October and her team set out for their first school, for the 2022 pad drive. Cypress Primary School in Bridgetown, October’s former primary school, was the first school on their campaign trail.
“At Cypress Primary, I distributed to all the girls and left about 200 packs at the school, just so that they can have that there with them. Cypress was the first school I started at this year because it is my ex-primary school, and it is needed. I just wanted the schools to start and the learners to settle in first. This is why I had it in February,” October said.
October, who has had to undergo surgery in 2017 because of her heavy flows, said that this initiative is so close to her heart because she has seen the struggle women and girls go through because of how expensive sanitary towels are, especially for the underprivileged households.
“The sanitary towel drive is a very personal thing to me, having gone through an operation in 2017 because of having a heavy flow. I realised the need came when I visited various communities. The moment I had the sanitary towels to distribute, there would be a flood of females coming for them, not wanting to miss the opportunity of not receiving a pack of sanitary pads.
“For some women, it’s sometimes between buying a loaf of bread or buying pads, and definitely they will think that the loaf of bread will go a long way feeding the family. That’s when I started putting a message out and asking people to support this initiative, and now when I do go to a community, I make sure that I have enough for everybody,”
Bridge House not only provides feminine hygiene support but also runs several clothing and shoe drives throughout the Cape Flats.
Marsh van de Rheede, principal of Cypress Primary, says that these donations were a much-needed relief for the schoolgirls.
“I appreciate the drive and the sanitary towels as well as books that were donated to the school. Our school girls can benefit from it, as it is there with us. This is something that I truly treasure when a former learner of mine gives back to the community.
“Sanitary towels are something that girls need, and because they menstruate at an earlier age now means that we must not wait until they are past 13-years to teach them about menstruation. The talks on health got a positive review, especially from the teachers,” Van de Rheede said.
The principal also said that the school is in dire need of a makeover and a hall. She said that they would appreciate any donations towards refurbishing the school.
October says that they have their eyes set for other schools in the area for health talks and sanitary towel donations.
“We have approvals in other schools as well that we are allowed to come in to talk to the girls. My fiancé, Sebastian Haricombe, Director of the Hope School Wear Project, will speak to the boys. He is from Manenberg, so he will speak to the boys because he has a powerful story he always shares from his background of gangsterism and drugs,” October said.
IOL