By: Lungisa Somtombo
To celebrate women’s day with fun and making a difference, Nam foundation NPC will have an aerobic marathon event where participants have to bring sanitary towels to donate and receive education on menstrual hygiene at Quigney beachfront, opposite Kennaway Hotel in East London on Saturday.
The founder of Nam Foundation NPC Ngwekazi Aphiwe Makaba said NAM is a non-profit organisation that focuses on improving the lives of disadvantaged children and youth in the Eastern Cape, specifically in rural areas, through providing school shoes, sanitary towels, blankets, clothes and information on access to higher education.
“The drive started where I come from, in Ngqamakwe, we shared our work on Facebook which is where most of our beneficiaries saw us and asked for assistance. We help orphanages, vulnerable children and youth, and children and youth who are differently-abled,” said Makaba.
Makaba explained that the event is an aerobic marathon that is centred on educating girls and boys about menstrual hygiene to prevent girls from getting hygiene-related infections and to end the stigma around talking about menstruation.
“Menstruation is a big part of our lives, it’s important to have these conversations to end a lot of myths and awkwardness around menstruation,” said Makaba.
She further said that at the moment they do not have any sponsors, they self-fund and receive donations from friends and family, however, they would like companies and other organisations to make donations or sponsor.
“The event starts at 7h30 in the morning and people should bring sanitary towels to donate, have fun with aerobics, run a marathon and get some education on menstrual hygiene. It will be loads of fun,” she concluded.