African Dignity Restoration

African Dignity Restoration Cooperative was registered on September this year with the Registration number 2022/605522/24.  This is a wholly women-owned cooperative with two young ladies as part of Directorship.  The cooperative was formed after one of the Directors who was previously given the project that was running for over five years, closed because of covid 19 when the country was closed down.  Unfortunately the project was never renewed.  She was then inundated by the number of calls from previous beneficiaries who were experiencing distress every time they go on periods.  We then embarked on a blanket survey at schools in Soweto to find out if there is a dire need to close the gap.  The result we got was so overwhelming such that girls bank schools at that time and sometimes are unable to write class tests nor examinations due to lack of sanitary pads.  It is a well known fact that most children that come from the rural areas to urban areas are children who run families.  It is either parents died because of HIV/AIDS or now recently COVID 19 which saw many households being run by children.  Health becomes a factor at schools where young girls and young boys go through hormonal changes without a mother or father to carry them through the emotional changes.  Boys develop heavy perspiration odor under the armpits and groins bacteria causes heavy odor in them. 

While it is a good thing for the prevention of HIV and AIDS by putting condoms in public toilets and other areas where males could easily access them.  We believe it should be same with the use of sanitary pads at schools.  A" vending machine like" could be put at the female toilets where they can use a coin to access sanitary pads  and dispose them at the convenience of their learning environment.  No girl should lose class because of nature, we should make it possible for them to be comfortable and feel free everyday whether or not they are on their periods.  The machine/bin should be emptied every day by the health officials who must ensure that the bins are clean and fresh and that the "vending machine" machine is loaded by a skilled person daily.  

As directors we are aware that these may take time, while manufactures are still going to do the prototypes and also test the viability of it.  We at AFR have decided that we run a workshop for the packaging of Dignity Packs for both boys and girls.  It is important that a learning environment becomes conducive to both the learner and the educator alike.  There is no need for people to smell bad odors while trying to concentrate on the lesson being taught.  We are prepared to run workshops with both girls and boys at schools.  Today we find that many do not understand the value of a woman and therefore we believe that once they are taught by someone who may come in once in three months to revive the importance of self-respect, self-love, and self-assurance. ADR is there to bridge the gap of disadvantaged communities in our schools, be it rural or urban..