Rössing Uranium donates reusable sanitary pads to the girl child at Willem Borchard Primary school
(4 November 2020)

Rössing Uranium recently donated reusable sanitary pads to the girl child of the Willem Borchard primary school in Okombahe, as part of the mine’s outreach projects. Okombahe is a settlement in the Dâures constituency of the Erongo region. Rössing partnered with AnnPads Namibia to provide the girl child from the school with the reusable pads.

At the event, Hermine Bertolini from AnnPads Namibia did a presentation on the socioeconomic and psychological impact the menstrual cycle has on learners. The presentation was done with the girls and the boys at the school as the issue at hand impacts both genders. The partnership includes training for five girls on how to make their own sanitary pads and also to train their peers.

The school has 104 girls in grades 5-7, the pubescent group the Rössing initiative focused on. Speaking at the handover event Rössing Uranium’s manager for Partnerships, Communication and External Affairs Daylight Ekandjo said this donation is in support of the Ministry of Education’s initiative to keep the girl child in school - even on the days that she is menstruating as girls tend to stay out of school during their menstrual cycle if they do not have the required sanitary pads to attend to their needs.


The five learners from Willem Borchard primary school, received training from AnnPads
Namibia’s founder Hermine Bertolini on how to make reusable sanitary pads

 

“We read reports of how the girl child continue to stay away from school during their menstrual cycle. These continuous reports have prompted us to also contribute to the Government’s efforts of helping the girl child stay in school and ultimately complete their education.” The support in Okombahe is for both the Primary and the Junior Secondary school. Due to preparations for their examinations the JSS learners could not attend but an AnnPad package and a starter kit was left for their benefit. The five learners and their teacher from the primary school will teach them how to make their own pads.

Of note is the fact that the schools can now make reusable pads for own use and can also generate income by using the acquired skill to make pads for others who might need them. Rössing Uranium will continue to support the communities in which we operate and beyond, and it is our sincere hope that this donation to the girl child from Willem Borchard will make a difference in their lives.

Project partners, AnnPads Nambia’s founder Hermine Bertolini said they aim to reach the girl child mostly in the rural area and empower them through such initiatives.

“I am pleased to have partnered with Rössing on this initiative, as this also helped us educate the boy child through our presentations on menstruation.

“We found great value from the engagements with the learners, as they showed willingness to learn,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of the school, Principle Elias Uusiku said Willem Borchard primary school is honoured for being beneficiaries of Rössing’s outreach programme.

“We appreciate this initiative, and that our school is benefiting from the programme. It means a lot to us,” he said, adding that Rössing should continue investing in communities through the outreach programmes.

The Rössing Uranium’s support towards “Keeping the Girl Child in school Initiative” is linked to Goals 10, 12 and 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Issued by & enquiries:
Daylight Ekandjo
Manager: Partnerships, Communication and External Affairs
Rössing Uranium Limited
daylight.ekandjo@rossing.com.na
Cell: +264 (0)81 6392950