ITHEMBA TACKLES PERIOD POVERTY

Ithemba's Innovative Solution for Education and Sustainability

Too many school going girls in South Africa miss out on crucial education days because of a lack of access to sanitary products. Our fabrics offcuts program was designed to make a difference. 

Around 30% of menstruating students in South Africa miss school because they can't access basic sanitary products. That’s about 120 learning days lost per year per child. Through our sanitary pad project, Ithemba is keeping vulnerable girls in classrooms. 

Imagine turning would be trash into treasure – and solving a massive social problem in the process? That's exactly what Heather Adonis "our sewing whizz" is doing with Ithemba, a project that's changing lives one sanitary pad at a time. Piles of fabric scraps that would otherwise end up in landfills are now being transformed into essential menstrual products for students who can't afford them. A recent program equipped 60 young women with washable, reusable pads and there are plans to continue our endeavours. 

At Ithemba, we strive for a waste-free economy. We are passionate about being a conduit to educating children – be it directly with sales that fund educational resources or less directly by benefitting vulnerable school children. 

By upcycling textile waste, the project does double duty. These reusable pads reduce environmental waste while creating jobs for local women. Purpose-driven initiatives like this can create real change – turning what most people see as trash into a tool for empowerment.