Affinity Health and The 100% Foundation highlight children’s needs. They are giving 100 sanitary pads and 100 meals to kids in need.

Affinity Health recently launched the following projects:

• The 100 Sanitary Pads projects
• The 100 Meals projects

The projects are running in collaboration with The 100% Foundation. They made this happen together with the support of Hungry Lion South Africa.

What is the Importance of Nutrition and Food Security?

Children need nutrition to grow, develop, and concentrate. But according to a recent survey, too many children go to school every day with an empty stomach.

Food is one of the most basic human needs. Yet thousands of children across South Africa are not having this basic human need met. When a child comes to school hungry, they cannot concentrate. Thus, they are unable to learn.

“Hunger is a common and understood measure of extreme poverty. The hunger epidemic is especially harmful to children. It hinders children’s ability to cope in school,” says Murray Hewlett, CEO of Affinity Health.

“Unfortunately, we also know that children are frequently embarrassed by hunger. Children may be ashamed to share that their school lunchbox is empty. Instead, they may opt to suffer hunger in silence.”

The projects exist as Affinity Health’s response to the hunger crisis. The 100 Meals project saw The 100% Foundation give 100 Hungry Lion meals. 100 Grade 7 girl learners at Igagasi Primary School in Spruitview received the Hungry Lion meals.

How Can We Tackle “Period Poverty”?

South Africa needs to address young girls’ lack of access to hygiene. The problem is at its worst during menstruation. Lack of access to sanitary pads is a mass scale crisis. According to Hewlett, this further perpetuates the cycle of poverty.

Because of the lack of access, more girls are not finishing school. Teenage girls miss up to five days of school a month due to their periods. As a result, a girl could lose about 90 days of schooling.

Up to 7 million girls do not have access to or cannot afford to buy sanitary pads. Thus, millions of girls are bound to stay home throughout the month. Many of these girls must use the following to manage blood loss:

Living like this is unhygienic and can cause health issues and infections. A girl should never have to choose between buying food, going to school and having sanitary pads.

Most girls get their first period when they’re between 10 and 15 years old. The average age is 12, but every girl’s body has its schedule. Some girls can begin menstruating as early as eight years of age or as late as 16.

Girls must also deal with containing and concealing blood loss during their periods. Dealing with this can be especially challenging for girls who don’t have access to sanitary products.

“Parents, teachers and schools need to have open discussions about menstruation. Talking about menstruation in an environment where every girl feels safe is key. Through education, we can begin to destigmatise menstruation. We can create a conducive environment for girls to be free,” adds Hewlett.

Affinity Health and The 100% Foundation are hoping to deliver additional food hampers and sanitary pads to more learners in the months to come. Would you like to contribute to these two projects? If yes, please get in touch with The 100% Foundation. Alternatively, please complete the enquiry form.

About Affinity Health

Affinity Health is South Africa’s leading provider of affordable medical insurance. Members enjoy access to a network of healthcare providers. We have designed healthcare products to protect you and your family when it matters the most. We strive to give our clients peace of mind and the highest standard of service. For more information, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.