Our Sewing Project
There are 9 000 000 girls in South Africa between the ages of 13 and 19.
This is the school going age of menstruating girls. Their Education is hindered by 25%, as these girls do not go to school whilst they are menstruating as they have no access to sanitary wear. That is one week every month, which is a massive set back in their school careers. If there is money in the family it first goes to food.
The sanitation in the schools is mostly dismal, if not of a very low standard, which makes it extremely difficult for girls to discard used sanitary pads. The majority of the workers that migrate into the city to work as domestics or at markets or anywhere they choose, all have the same problem of the cost and disposal of sanitary pads. The monthly cycle of a woman should be something to celebrate and not to dread. This is a normal part of any woman’s life which should not impede her progress through life. However, some methods of menstrual hygiene employed in developing countries include:
Packets tied around the body filled with sand and leaves,
Waste paper
News paper
Old cloths
Rags
Previously soiled and dried sanitary pads – if they have any not always their own. It is extremely concerning that young ladies miss up to a week of school each month when they menstruate. This certainly hinders their education and sets them back, putting them at a clear disadvantage against their male counterparts. Education is the future for our county. Women deserve better.
Vision
Esther is a project that focus on broken and hopeless women and young girls.
Dignity, hope and worthiness is established in each of them through our job creation project where washable sanitary towels are made and distributed among girls who cannot afford it.
Mission
- To supply every young girl from age 13 to 18 in the Free State who cannot afford sanitary towels, with a sanitary kit based on a 2 year cycle
- To equip and inform girls about there unique biological bodies
- To give girls a chance to feel worthy and finish their academic obligation with dignity
- To create work and create a dignified social environment for not only girls but women as well.
Why should your company invest in our project?
Education
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” – Nelson Mandela According to national statistics SA have almost 6 888910 girls between the ages of 13 – 16 yrs old that does not have direct access to sanitary wear due to financial restraints. The effect is that these girls do not attend school due to their menstrual cycle and they are absent 12 weeks per year = 3 months a year. This causes a direct impact on our pass rates, emotional stability and social welfare of the communities.
Health
Sanitary pads and tampons can be a serious health risk.
The sanitary products that we use are made with chemicals that enter the body through the skin and can cause cancer over time.
To kill the unbearable and unpleasant smell of the menstrual blood deodorants and perfumes are added to the pad. The scented pads can interfere in your embryo tic development in which your fertility gets affected.
Then there is the side where sanitary pads are not available to girls due to certain factors and these girls uses plastic bags, cow dung and even mud.
Cost Effectiveness
On average a household with one girl spends up to R600.00 a year on disposable sanitary towels. That is R1200.00 over two year cycle
Our washable sanitary towels if looked after can last up to TWO YEARS at R210 for a small size kit.
That is a saving of R390.00/girl in her first cycle of two years and another R390.00/girl in her second cycle.
This is a saving of R32.50 per girl/household/month
If a company decides to sponsor 200 girls it will save a community R78 000.00/year
Greenhouse Effect
We have a holistic approach to this matter pertaining to the environment and consequently we want to ensure that every aspect imparting on the environment is taken into account.
An average woman in SA uses 16,000 or more pads or tampons in her lifetime. That’s 437500 women x 16, 000 = 7 billion pads and tampons landing on landfills.
Most of them contains chemicals and toxins additives and synthetic material such as plastic.
The plastic takes about 500 years to breakdown.
They also end up polluting our rivers, lakes and sea.
Alternatives to disposable sanitary towels are the reusable pads which are made out of fabrics which are biodegradable.
Dignity
Dignity is the one aspect that changes the social landscape of any country. A girl without dignity caused by shame, low self esteem and unworthiness leads to low social and moral values. These low values leads to unplanned pregnancies, sexual violence and misconduct AND substance abuse.
Product Investment
We as a NPO present a product for your company to buy to make a difference in the lives of thousands of girls.Our approach therefore is not a HAND OUT APPROACH” but rather the supply of a high quality product at a set price, thereby creating work, hope and dignity.
All kits will be handed out at a school on a “Esther Day” when girls of the school will be educated and motivated on:
- The compilation of their biological bodies,
- Menstruation awareness,
- The personal care of their bodies
- Product information and care,
- Motivational talks to improve worthiness and dignity
How can your company get involved
- Financial sponsorship (Lump sum donation & Sponsor class of learners or individuals)
- Company or colleague challenge
Fill in the Contact form below
Sewing Project Contact Person
Donate towards this Project
ACCOUNT NAME : ESTHER
BANK : FNB
ACCOUNT NUMBER : 62765991544
BRANCH CODE : 250655
TYPE ACCOUNT : CHEQUE
SWIFT CODE : FIRNZAJJ