In an inspiring display of community support and corporate collaboration, GoAllOut organisation in Mahikeng, North West, has successfully collected over 100 000 sanitary pads through partnerships with various companies.
The GoAllOut student chapter at the North West University in Mahikeng set a Guinness World Record for the longest line of sanitary pads with their Pad the Way project. They laid out 51 870 pads over 3 565 meters.
They had partnerships with various companies in raising awareness about the importance of menstrual hygiene. GoAllOut head of campaigns, Thabang Ramabodu says their aim is to improve menstrual health and reduce absenteeism among students, due to lack of supplies.
“Period poverty is a global issue and South Africa is no exception. Over 7 million girls either drop out or miss school annually. So when we began this project post-COVID-19, we understood that so many people lost their jobs and in those households probably some so many girls are missing school because of that issue. So we wanted to shed light and the only way we felt that we could do it and give ourselves a voice was to attempt a Gunnies World Record.”
Ramabodu adds that their main mission is to ensure sanitary pads are accessible everywhere.
“Condoms are easily accessible anywhere be it government department or any other public space. So our mission was to make sure that menstrual hygiene products are available be it in government institutions and in any other public space because menstruation is not a choice it happens to any woman at any given time of the month and that was our mission. If any girl or girls can access menstrual hygiene products then we would’ve achieved our mission.” -Reporting by Tsholofelo Mogami
