Maria David
ACCESS to affordable menstruation products is a right, not a privilege.
Period poverty is an international issue that affects many women around the world as many find it difficult to afford proper sanitary products.
Many girls in Namibia are forced to use unhygienic materials to manage their monthly cycle as a result of poverty, leading to many girls being absent from school.
Hence, the Rob Youth Foundation aims to embark on a national sanitary pads donation drive to ensure they play their part in keeping a girl-child in school.
Established in 2019, the foundation has so far assisted scholars, expectant mothers and families that are unable to put something on the table.
Founder Robert Maseka said the foundation was established to exclusively address the social and economic challenges faced by the youth in the country such as teenage pregnancy, sanitary pads, lack of education on menstrual health, and lack of career guidance.
“The foundation is launching a programme to hand out sanitary pads, toiletries and food items to schools and communities in all 14 regions of Namibia,” he said.
Maseka said the foundation also focuses on empowering the youth to initiate projects in the various regions thus creating employment in the process.
“We have structures in all the regions with our volunteers and a regional manager as head of the regional structure,” he said.
The foundation recently launched a familiarization tour to visit all 14 regions.
This month, the Rob Youth Foundation will be in Oshikoto, Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati and Kunene.
