Husband and wife team Seelan and Pamela Govender, founders of the non-for-profit organisation Restore a Smile Foundation, will be launching a crowdfunding campaign on August 14 to provide sanitary pads for girls and women in need.
The team was granted a $2000 sustainability grant from the City of Canning but will only receive the grant if they come up with $10,000.
The organisation’s initiative is to provide hygiene packs for women and be able to combat the massive social and health issue.
The team said they realised they needed to do something after seeing that some women and girls have been using unsafe alternatives like rags, old socks, cardboard, wet newspapers, banana leaves or tree bark to manage their menstruation.
After 12 months of hard work, the team said they are ready to make a difference and they believe the ‘Hope for Her’ biodegradable sanitary pads have been designed to fulfill a range of important criteria including comfort, design, sustainability and cost.
Pamela said she used to take for granted the cost of one pad but now to her this represents education, health, self-confidence and dignity.
They said the campaign aims to empower and educate woman about menstrual hygiene and help them improve socio-economic status and self-esteem.
According to Ms Govender they also want to educate men and boys to make sure these women and girls have a safe, dignified period and break the menstrual taboo and the culture of silence that surrounds it.
If you want to donate visit the ‘Hope for Her’ page.
