L-R UWC alumna and Springbok Women’s rugby player Babalwa Latsha and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Student Development and Support at UWC, Prof Matete Madiba. Image by: Dollie House

The University of the Western Cape (UWC), together with critical stakeholders, has moved to address one of South Africa’s most urgent yet often overlooked issues: period poverty. This launch event comes at a time when the challenge is finally being recognised as a national concern affecting millions of women, particularly students.

UWC has been selected as the official launch site for the Students on the Go initiative, a groundbreaking programme aimed at ending period poverty on South African campuses. In partnership with the MENstruation Foundation and the Clicks Helping Hand Trust, the programme will provide free, high-quality sanitary pads through token-operated vending machines.

This effort responds directly to the global crisis highlighted in the Journal of Global Health Reports, which notes that period poverty affects more than 500 million women of menstruating age worldwide. Beyond the lack of menstrual products, women face economic, social, political, and cultural barriers that limit access to menstrual health education and adequate sanitation facilities.

These barriers not only compromise health and dignity but also force many students to miss classes, undermining their education and economic potential.

At UWC alone, 8,400 students are set to benefit, preventing the loss of more than half a million study days in one year. Funded by a R2 million donation from the Clicks Helping Hand Trust, the project will see 30 vending machines installed across five universities - 14 of them at UWC.

(L-R) Siv Ngesi - Co-Founder of MENstruation Foundation, Prof Robert Balfour - Rector and Vice-Chancellor of UWC and Dhevan Pillay, Chairperson of the Clicks Helping Hand Trust. Image: UWC - Institutional Advancement.

UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert Balfour, emphasised the importance of the pilot initiative, noting that it aligns perfectly with the ethos of the University: “Access to education must be understood in material terms. It’s not enough for students to be enrolled - they must be able to participate fully, enthusiastically, meaningfully and with dignity. That’s why we recognise the need for a sustainable, systemic response to student well-being. Well-being is not an add-on to student success - it’s critical to it.”

The 14 dispensers are now operational at UWC’s main campus, Dentistry campus, and the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences in the Bellville CBD.

The initiative was applauded by UWC alumna and Springbok Women’s rugby player Babalwa Latsha, the first African woman to turn professional in rugby, and Director of the MENstruation Foundation: “We are putting up machines all across campus. It’s so important that we continue the fight against period poverty because no woman should ever be in need of sanitary products.”

The impact is expected to be substantial: 16,300 women will benefit every month, 195,600 packs of pads will be distributed annually, and an estimated 978,000 learning days will be saved each year.

Dhevan Pillay, Chairperson of the Clicks Helping Hand Trust and Head of Pharmacy and Store Operations (SA), highlighted the value of joining forces with UWC: “The Clicks Helping Hand Trust is grounded in a deep commitment to health and wellness for underserved communities. In the past two and a half years alone, more than 750,000 packs of sanitary pads have been donated to women in need. This programme is more than a donation - it’s a movement. With a R2 million donation, we are rolling out 30 sanitary pad vending machines across five major universities. These machines will dispense high-quality sanitary pads completely free of charge, using a simple token system, and will be placed exactly where students need them most.”

The initiative is the brainchild of Siv Ngesi, co-founder of the MENstruation Foundation, and who has a strong affiliation with UWC. Ngesi, who has also opened a factory to produce sanitary pads and promote menstrual health, was clear about the foundation’s mission.

“We are committed to breaking the stigma around menstruation. No girl or woman should miss school, work or life because of her period. We will not stop until sanitary pads are free for all and period poverty is a thing of the past.”

The launch was concluded by Director of Institutional Advancement at UWC, Prof Anesh Singh, who applauded efforts by stakeholders and was pleased that such a critical initiative had come to fruition at the University.

“We are very proud to have reached this moment, where we can reveal our pad dispensing machines for our students. We are very passionate about helping our students to demonstrate that Udubs cares.”

The launch of the Students on the Go initiative at UWC marks more than just the installation of pad vending machines - it represents a commitment to dismantling a silent barrier to education and dignity. By combining the resources of committed partners with the passion of change-makers, UWC is helping to rewrite the narrative for thousands of young women who no longer have to choose between their education and their basic health needs.

Click here to watch a video of the launch and unveiling of the pad dispensary machines.