11,000 women took part in the recent Cape Town leg of the 2023 SPAR Women’s Challenge. Their entries meant that the SPAR Western Cape’s Petals Project was in the position to donate 18 480 packs of sanitary pads to young women in need.

The brave women showed up, in the rain, to run for their cause of providing dignity to young ladies in need. The Boland Veterans Cricket Association [BVCA] and Running4Pads were the two charities to receive the substantial donation.

The BVSA are an association of mostly men, who believe that ‘giving back’ starts with their players. In the development of women’s cricket, they feel strongly that it is a human right for girls not to miss out on the equal opportunity because of period poverty. They run a ‘Dignity programme’, a social development programme that distributes sanitary pads to girls in need, as well as promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Running4pads consists of a team of voluntarily associated individuals. The SPAR Petals project finds synergy with the four women, runners themselves, who originally came together and started Running4Pads. Their goal is to ensure that they can help as many young women as possible, by restoring their dignity and keeping them in school.

“We, through the race and the SPAR Petals project, are proud to be associated with these two amazing charities. It’s also important to have male voices, and hopefully together we will make an impact,” commented Elsabe van Zyl – Felix, advertising manager for SPAR Western Cape at the handover.

“We have just recognised Menstrual Hygiene Day internationally, so it seems fitting that we do this handover now, raising awareness about menstrual care and the challenges faced by those without access to sanitary products.”