Johannesburg - They use anything from old rags to toilet paper - anything to ensure they don't leak and embarrass themselves in front of their schoolmates.
But some simply bunk school, staying home until that time of the month is over.
This is because some families can't afford essential items others take for granted, such as sanitary towels.
“Some of us are from rural areas and in rural areas it's sometimes difficult to buy pads. You use whatever you can find, anything just so you can get to school,” said Maxolly Mabizela of Isiphephelo High School in Kwambonambi village, near Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal.
When she was lucky, her grandmother would use whatever was left of her pension grant to buy her a pack of sanitary towels.
But that was still unhygienic as she would have to use the same pad for an entire day.
“Sometimes I'd buy one pack to last me two months. Sometimes we'd use tissue papers or whatever we could find. Some of the girls would even stay home just so they don't mess themselves,” she said.
But through the Caring4-Girls initiative, with which Independent Media has now partnered, she is one of the about 270 000 girls who receives monthly supplies of sanitary towels.
Also benefiting from the Caring4Girls initiative is Grade 12 pupil Nokulunga Mlondo, who hopes to perform better this year as all her focus will be on her school work.
“There are a lot of kids in schools who can't afford pads. We'd use tissues. Sometimes, when it was really difficult, I'd call my sister to buy for me but there were times when I had nothing. My life has changed a lot. I always have pads, I don't have to stress, so I can now focus on my studies,” she said.
The girls' principal, Sthembiso Madela, lauded the initiative, saying it had made a huge impact on attendance records.
“It's restoring their dignity in a great way. In rural schools we are a no-fees school due to poverty levels.
“Some pupils can't afford to buy sanitary pads, so they'll end up using all sorts of things that are not good for their health. With this partnership we have, that is being addressed,” said Madela.
One of the beneficiaries from Gauteng is Bonolo Motshegoana from Ivory Park Secondary School, in Midrand.
Unlike the two girls from the rural villages, her situation wasn't dire, but she still feels the initiative helped save her parents some money that they can use for other things like food and her uniform.
“Other girls in my school aren't as lucky. I wish more schools could be supported like us,” said Bonolo.
The Star