Donation helps Ann Pads combat period poverty
Walvis Bay Salt Refiners have donated a tonne of refined salt to Ann Pads, a Khomasdal-based social enterprise, which manufactures washable and environmentally friendly sanitary pads.
Ann Pads founder and owner, Hermine Bertolini, welcomed the donation with open arms, saying: “Salt can be used to disinfect the sanitary pads we produce. The user can soak it in water with salt diluted in it. Although normal sunlight is still the best, soap and salt are alternatives to assist in this matter. Salt removes stains, absorbs liquids easily and kills germs and bacteria. Used with lemon juice and vinegar, salt becomes an even more powerful cleaner.”
Ann Pads contain four pads of different sizes and thickness to ensure that the user will only wash a pad four to five times per month.
“The main characteristics of a good washable pad are moisture management and good absorbency. Our pads are made of high-quality fabrics and provided that the pads are taken good care of, they can easily be of use for four or more years. We also added a press stud to make sure that the pad does not move while the girl is active,” Bertolini explained.
Bertolini, who hails from Rehoboth and studied BA Human Ecology at the University of the Western Cape, converted the basement of her house into a small factory and trained six locals to manufacture washable pads.
“We have been going since 2018 and distributed close to 6 000 pads countrywide,” she said.
The gift of dignity
Walvis Bay Salt Refiners' managing director, Andre Snyman, said the Namibian child is the main focus of the Walvis Bay Salt Refiners corporate social responsibility arm. “This is a small contribution towards a huge need. All our projects focus on children and the request for assistance we received was in line with this criteria. We also support the Sunshine and Josua Home shelters for children in Walvis Bay in addition to the Maths Olympiad,” he said.
Bertolini, a former teacher, attributes period poverty and Namibia's high teenage pregnancy rate to a lack of education.
“Menstruation is the basis of the human species and we do not talk about it. We must fight this discrimination; girls and boys need to have a clear understanding of how menstruation works. I wrote a book, titled 'Anne's Journey to Womanhood', to address this issue and to dispel the myths associated with the menstrual process.”
Bertolini highlighted that period poverty is a stark reality for thousands of girls who cannot afford basic sanitary pads. As a result, they are forced to resort to unsafe and unhygienic methods, such as using any available cloth, including old t-shirts, socks and even newspapers.
As a result, many girls stay away from school to avoid embarrassment or accidental leaks.
If a girl stays away from school for one week every month in one trimester, she misses a whole month of school.
Making a difference
With this in mind, Bertolini established Ann Pads to give women and girls their dignity back, especially those that are not privileged enough to afford a pack of disposable sanitary pads for each and every cycle.
“To tackle the lack of affordable sanitary pads, we decided to manufacture and reintroduce washable pads at a cost of N$25 per pad. This is not a new thing and there is a misconception that it is only for the poor. Before the arrival of disposable pads, which take years to disintegrate, we used washable pads,” she highlighted.
Bertolini said while it is exciting to see that both public and private institutions are lending a helping hand, donating disposable sanitary pads to underprivileged school girls around the country is a short-term solution. “I am challenging donors to consider moving away from doing this and to rather provide a washable, durable, eco-friendly, long lasting and readily available alternative.”
She can be reached at +264 812878516 or via email at [email protected]
Ann Pads founder and owner, Hermine Bertolini, welcomed the donation with open arms, saying: “Salt can be used to disinfect the sanitary pads we produce. The user can soak it in water with salt diluted in it. Although normal sunlight is still the best, soap and salt are alternatives to assist in this matter. Salt removes stains, absorbs liquids easily and kills germs and bacteria. Used with lemon juice and vinegar, salt becomes an even more powerful cleaner.”
Ann Pads contain four pads of different sizes and thickness to ensure that the user will only wash a pad four to five times per month.
“The main characteristics of a good washable pad are moisture management and good absorbency. Our pads are made of high-quality fabrics and provided that the pads are taken good care of, they can easily be of use for four or more years. We also added a press stud to make sure that the pad does not move while the girl is active,” Bertolini explained.
Bertolini, who hails from Rehoboth and studied BA Human Ecology at the University of the Western Cape, converted the basement of her house into a small factory and trained six locals to manufacture washable pads.
“We have been going since 2018 and distributed close to 6 000 pads countrywide,” she said.
The gift of dignity
Walvis Bay Salt Refiners' managing director, Andre Snyman, said the Namibian child is the main focus of the Walvis Bay Salt Refiners corporate social responsibility arm. “This is a small contribution towards a huge need. All our projects focus on children and the request for assistance we received was in line with this criteria. We also support the Sunshine and Josua Home shelters for children in Walvis Bay in addition to the Maths Olympiad,” he said.
Bertolini, a former teacher, attributes period poverty and Namibia's high teenage pregnancy rate to a lack of education.
“Menstruation is the basis of the human species and we do not talk about it. We must fight this discrimination; girls and boys need to have a clear understanding of how menstruation works. I wrote a book, titled 'Anne's Journey to Womanhood', to address this issue and to dispel the myths associated with the menstrual process.”
Bertolini highlighted that period poverty is a stark reality for thousands of girls who cannot afford basic sanitary pads. As a result, they are forced to resort to unsafe and unhygienic methods, such as using any available cloth, including old t-shirts, socks and even newspapers.
As a result, many girls stay away from school to avoid embarrassment or accidental leaks.
If a girl stays away from school for one week every month in one trimester, she misses a whole month of school.
Making a difference
With this in mind, Bertolini established Ann Pads to give women and girls their dignity back, especially those that are not privileged enough to afford a pack of disposable sanitary pads for each and every cycle.
“To tackle the lack of affordable sanitary pads, we decided to manufacture and reintroduce washable pads at a cost of N$25 per pad. This is not a new thing and there is a misconception that it is only for the poor. Before the arrival of disposable pads, which take years to disintegrate, we used washable pads,” she highlighted.
Bertolini said while it is exciting to see that both public and private institutions are lending a helping hand, donating disposable sanitary pads to underprivileged school girls around the country is a short-term solution. “I am challenging donors to consider moving away from doing this and to rather provide a washable, durable, eco-friendly, long lasting and readily available alternative.”
She can be reached at +264 812878516 or via email at [email protected]
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