Protecting Futures Programme

Gold Impumelelo 2010 Sustainability Award-Winner, Protecting Futures, is run by the Small Projects Foundation (SPF) in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. In response to incidences of continual absenteeism and high school drop-out rates of adolescent girls as a result of menstruation, SPF developed a innovative solution in the Eastern Cape's rural schools. Young girls and their parents are uninformed about menstruation and reproductive health. As a result stigmatisation at the onset of puberty is rife. Additionally, the lack of adequate toilet facilities at many schools makes matters worse. Since 2008, educational workshops were conducted with girls at schools in the four regions of Alfred Nzo, Oliver Tambo, Chris Ham, and Ukhahlamba in the Eastern Cape. Two teachers at each of the six pilot schools were trained in adolescent reproductive health, puberty, safe sex, and HIV, and were encouraged to continue providing education to girls in their schools in the future. Girls were educated on similar topics and those from grades 7-9 were provided with sanitary towels, sponsored by Proctor and Gamble. A number of orphans and vulnerable children were also identified by the project and are supported through fee exemptions, school clothes and food parcels. The programme upgraded the toilet facilities at some schools and lobbied government to provide this service to schools across the country. By providing education and sanitary towels to the girls, their school attendance improved, enhancing their chances of finishing school and of obtaining employment later in life.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• women;
• development;
• menstruation;
• adolescent;
• girls;
• south
• africa;
• impumelelo
• social
• innovations
• centre;
• 2010
• sustainability
• awards;
• education;
• eastern
• cape;
• small
• projects
• foundation;
• puberty;
• reproductive
• health;
• proctor
• and
• gamble