Updates

A message from Mr. Ben Kirby

After 4 hours in the torrential wind and driving rain on Saturday, I finally managed to raise my head and begin to enjoy the run as the sun dared to show its face. However, lifting my head meant that I was able to see the hills that loomed in the distance for the final 15km of the run. That being said, the messages of support both online and in person as well as the amazingly generous donations kept me going when I definitely could have quit. I crossed the line after 5hr 56mins and immediately collapsed. Fortunately, a beer and a burger were soon inhaled, and I was able to reflect on the run, the support and the impact of what the donations will have on the lives of the women and girls in Masi.

Streatham and Clapham High School are working with Masicorp to reduce period poverty in Masiphumelele Township in South Africa. The Dignity Project was started in March 2023, where we raised £966 which went towards buying enough tampons, pads and wipes to fill 101 packs - distributed to teenagers and school staff members.

We have started a range of activities to fundraise for this cause:

- The Dignity walk: A 7K walk open to all students on Monday 3rd June

- SCHS Culture Day: A Senior event for all students on 14th June

- SCHS Movie Night: 19th June

Period poverty prevents young women from accessing education and can also prevent teachers from coming to school.

Girls and women are not afforded privacy, and maintaining good hygiene is really hard given the scarcity of running water.

Having your period is hugely stigmatised and carries a lot of shame and is also next to impossible to deal with when tampons and pads can’t easily be afforded.

Often girls and women won’t go to school or work on days when they are bleeding, and so the gap widens.

This project genuinely changes women’s lives.

Previously it was so well received – all the women said they wanted it to come back – so let’s make that happen!

“Female empowerment is nation empowerment because women are the carriers of the world’’.