The Merebank-based non-profit organisation Save the Dignity of Our School Girls has distributed over 30,000 sanitary pads to empower girls to stay in school and combat menstrual stigma.Founded in 2021, the initiative focuses on Merebank but extends support to surrounding communities like Bluff and Chatsworth.

Founder Roshni Naicker highlights the critical need for menstrual hygiene products, noting that 83% of South African schoolgirls lack consistent access.

The organisation plans to distribute pads to learners as schools reopen, with a Women's Day fundraiser on 9 August aiming to sustain supply lines.Naicker emphasizes education and awareness, sharing a poignant story of a girl who used old T-shirts during her cycle.Despite challenges like transport and funding, the NPO relies on donations, fundraising, and a small business to continue its work.The initiative underscores the broader national crisis around menstrual health, with civil society pushing for the Menstrual Health Rights Bill.