Period poverty leaves girls using tissue paper

Many people who stay in the location migrated to the capital city seeking greener pastures and Bontleng is one of the more preferred areas for its affordable rent. While the idea of living a stone’s throw from the urban jungle appears attractive, many families residing in Bontleng are living in abject poverty.

One of the hardest hit demographics in Bontleng’s poverty is young women and girls whom surveys have found often cannot afford to buy a packet of sanitary pads forcing them to miss school during their menstruation cycle days. COVID-19, which has caused breadwinners to lose their jobs and even lose their lives, has worsened the situation, forcing many families to choose between their next meal and a sanitary product for a young woman or girl.