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GEADO donates sanitary towels to community development initiative

19 September 2024 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Anthony Mthembu

As part of its ongoing Dignity Kit Awareness Campaign, launched in 2023, the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Office (GEADO) at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently contributed to a community development initiative titled ‘Give a Flower for a Change.’ A batch of sanitary towels was recently officially handed over at the UFS Bloemfontein Campus, facilitated by Geraldine Lengau, Senior Officer in the Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice.

According to Lengau, GEADO has made several similar donations on campus, benefitting initiatives such as the ‘No Student Hungry’ (NSH) programme, staff members through the Office of Organisational Development and Employee Wellness, as well as student walk-ins, among others. This latest donation extends the reach of the Dignity Kit Campaign beyond the campus community. ‘’This forms part of our mandate to raise awareness, particularly in uplifting the dignity of women. It is essential for the university to provide these dignity kits, as it demonstrates its commitment to addressing gender-based violence, supporting survivors, and promoting awareness,’’ said Lengau. She further emphasised that such donations foster a broader effort by the university to create a culture of respect, empathy, and support for surrounding communities, thus advancing social justice as articulated in the UFS’s Vision 130 strategic plan.

Supporting Give a flower for a Change

The sanitary towels were handed over to Morwesi Malebo, founder of ‘Give a Flower for a Change’. According to Malebo, the initiative works closely with Unity Primary School in Bloemfontein, aiming to uplift the lives of children, particularly those from previously disadvantaged households. ‘’I have heard of instances at the school where some learners resorted to using cloth during their periods because they lacked access to sanitary towels,” Malebo shared. The donation will now help provide the necessary supplies to these children.

The initiative relies heavily on donations, accepting sanitary towels, school shoes, toiletries, and other essential items. Malebo stressed the significant impact of these contributions, noting that the learners are ‘’incredibly grateful, and the positive change in their lives is visible.” Without such resources, learners often feel self-conscious, which affects their performance at school. Collaborations with partners like GEADO, Malebo added, are crucial to the development of communities like hers. Consequently, she hopes to expand the initiative to high schools across Bloemfontein and maintain a strong partnership with GEADO.

News Archive

Staff, students, learners and the public opened their hearts during R5 coin-laying ceremony

2012-07-19

Photo: Sonia Small
18 July 2012

Amidst a festive atmosphere on the Red Square in front of the Main Building on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS), students, staff, learners and members of the public came together to make their contribution to stop hunger.

In celebration of former president Nelson Mandela’s birthday, the university collected money and food in the form of a coin-laying ceremony, the packing of food parcels, and a message delivered by Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu in aid of the university’s No Student Hungry (NSH) campaign and Bloemfontein Child Welfare.

Representatives from schools in Bloemfontein donated their R5 coins, together with university staff, students, members of the public, and employees of Pick n Pay Hyper. Money collected at the coin-laying ceremony will be shared between NSH and Bloemfontein Child Welfare.

According to Ms Grace Jansen and Ms Carin Buys, patrons of NSH, the more than R42 000 that was collected will be donated to Bloemfontein Child Welfare in an effort by NSH to give back to the community. “We are impressed by the number of people who showed up and by the fact that people opened their hearts and pockets to give,” said Ms Buys.

Thirty employees of Pick n Pay Hyper in Bloemfontein were also present and packed 1 833 food parcels (equivalent to 11 000 meals). This forms part of a Pick n Pay initiative in cooperation with Stop Hunger Now that is being held countrywide today.

In total, 88 000 meals will be distributed in six cities in South Africa today. The 11 000 meals in the Free State have been donated to the university and according to Ms Jansen a social worker at the UFS will distribute it to other needy students. These are students who do not receive bursaries from NSH at the moment. Every food parcel contains rice, dried vegetables, soya, and vitamin and mineral enriched powder.

The university was honoured to have Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu as the speaker at the event. He attended a dialogue in the Series of Dialogue between Science and Society today at the university where he took part in a conversation with Profs. Mark Solms and Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela as part of the Global Leadership Summit.

He made a special appearance at the university’s Nelson Mandela Day festivities. His message was simple but inspiring: “Everyone has, just like Madiba, the capacity to change lives. I hope there are people present who can say that they want to improve someone else’s life. You have the chance to make South Africa a country where no one goes to bed hungry. Help us to make South Africa a country where we have compassion for each other and care for each other”.

The UFS would like to thank the following schools for their contributions:

Grey Kollege Primêre Skool
Grey Kollege
St Michael's School for Girls
Hoërskool Jim Fouché
Hoërskool Fichardtpark
Hoërskool Sentraal
Navalsig High School
HTS Louis Botha
Eunice High School

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