By Moreen Dube
Period poverty- the lack of access to resources for girls and women to manage their menstrual cycle- affects millions of girls worldwide. For industrial and organisational psychologist and co-director of Passion-Based Foundation (PBF), Nokuthula Dondolo, it has become the focal point of her philanthropic efforts. Nokuthula grew up in Daveyton, one of the townships in the East Rand of Johannesburg, where she witnessed the effects of poverty firsthand. Determined to make a difference, she, along with her friends, established the Passion-Based Foundation in 2024 with a mission to address period poverty and provide young girls with access to sanitary products to ensure uninterrupted education. “Growing up, I used to hear stories about girls missing school because they didn’t have access to the right sanitary products. In some cases, girls would go to school unprepared and end up with embarrassing blood stains because they didn’t have the proper products”. These experiences stayed with me, “Nokuthula starts before adding, “when I read about period poverty in 2023 and learned that an estimated 2.6 million schoolgirls and countless women in South Africa were still affected by period poverty, it reminded me of the urgent need to make a difference however I could.”
Globally, approximately 500 million women and girls are affected by the lack of access to menstrual products and adequate hygiene facilities, making it a widespread public health and human rights issue. The persistence of cultural taboos, stigma, and inadequate infrastructure around menstruation reflects deep-rooted gender inequalities that continue to limit the education, health, and economic opportunities of women and girls worldwide (The World Bank, n.d.).
In 2014, Passion-Based Foundation (PBF) hosted their first first sanitary products drive. “We were able to hand over 300 packets of pads to Grade 6 and 7 girls of Slindokuhle Primary School. It was one of the most heartwarming experiences of the year for me. The intention is to have it as a bi-annual drive.” They also plan to scale out of the East Rand community and broaden the initiative to surrounding areas in South Africa.
Collaboration is an effective way of tackling any task, and Nokuthula believes in the power of community projects. In her quest to eliminate period poverty, she collaborated with the community by initially identifying the need for sanitary drives and selecting a community that would benefit the most. She found a school in a community close to where she grew up, where most students came from impoverished families. When asked about funding and resourcing the annual sanitary drives, she explained, “We call for donations in the form of cash or sanitary products. We are currently seeking corporate sponsorship to assist us going forward, as it is a challenge to obtain and distribute the sanitary products efficiently due to limited resources.”
Looking at the long-term goals for the sanitary wear initiatives, Nokuthula’s target for 2025 is to provide at least five thousand young girls with access to sanitary products and alleviate the negative impacts of period poverty. Corporate partnerships will aid in the expansion. After each sanitary drive, they debrief to assess what is working well and what can be improved. Nokuthula applies her IOP (Industrial and Organisational Psychology) mindset to how they request sponsorship, emphasizing employee volunteerism as a factor contributing to employee engagement and productivity.
Nokuthula firmly believes that providing sanitary wear contributes to the overall empowerment and dignity of young girls. She states, “it is a tangible way to support, develop, and empower the next generation of women. Philanthropy in this area is crucial because it addresses a fundamental human need that is often overlooked. By supporting access to sanitary wear, we can make a significant impact on the lives of young girls, promoting health, education, and gender equality.” Her partner at PBF, Karabo Mashifane, supports this notion and stated, “It is important for PBF to address period poverty because menstrual health is a fundamental aspect of public health, education, and gender equality. The lack of access to affordable and hygienic menstrual products not only compromises the dignity and well-being of women and girls but also directly affects school attendance, workplace participation, and long-term socio-economic outcomes. By tackling period poverty, the Non-Profit Organisation contributes to breaking cycles of inequality, promoting gender equity, and ensuring that menstruation does not remain a barrier to opportunity or progress.” 7 million girls miss school every month in South Africa due to period poverty, affecting their educational progress. More than 1,700 schools in South Africa still has unacceptable pit toilets, leaving students, especially girls, with no privacy or safe sanitation, particularly during menstruation (Breadline Africa, 2025).
The financial barriers are also significant. According to The Endangered Wildlife Trust (2023), an average woman using disposable sanitary products will consume between 11,000 and 17,000 pads or similar items over her lifetime, which amounts to a cost of roughly R27,500 to R42,500 at current South African prices. In comparison, reusable sanitary pads, which cost about R50 each depending on the brand, can last 3 to 5 years. In South Africa, girls often have difficulties disposing of single-use pads, and resource-poor schools frequently struggle with a lack of facilities, particularly in rural areas (Endangered Wildlife Trust, 2023), making reusable pads not only a financially viable option but a sustainable one too. This awareness and mindset shift are among some of the issues on PBF’s agenda, so that they are going beyond distributing sanitary pads.
When asked about her hopes and aspirations for her philanthropic work focusing on ending period poverty in disadvantaged communities and for young girls in need, Nokuthula asserted, “My goal is to provide sanitary wear to disadvantaged communities and young girls in need through various means, including creating awareness, education, access, and expansion.” She emphasized the importance of normalizing conversations around menstruation to eliminate stigma and shame. Through PBF, she plans to conduct workshops in schools and communities to educate both boys and girls about menstruation. Additionally, she aims to provide thorough menstrual health education by collaborating with healthcare professionals to ensure accurate and comprehensive information. By focusing on these areas, her goal is to contribute to a world where every girl has the knowledge, resources, and support she needs to manage her menstruation with dignity and confidence. “This holistic approach will not only address immediate needs but also lay the foundation for long-term empowerment and equality,” she says.