By Aphiwe Ngowapi
Members of the South African Communist Party (SACP) Sarah Baartman district, also known as Chule ‘KK’ Papiyane District, recently visited three schools in Makhanda as part of their ongoing sanitary drive.
The initiative aims to uphold the dignity of young girls and boost their self-esteem. The team began their visits at Makana Primary School in Joza, proceeded to Mary Waters High School, and concluded at Nathaniel Nyaluza Senior Secondary School.
When asked about their choice of schools, given the number of schools in Makhanda, Siyabonga Jam, the district coordinator of the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA), explained that these particular schools are among the most underprivileged and academically challenged, though Nathaniel Nyaluza is showing signs of improvement. The initiative, he emphasized, is meant to encourage students to persist in their education and strive for excellence.
The SACP members had the opportunity to address pupils at Makana Primary School and Mary Waters High School.
Jam highlighted the unique challenges faced by each school. He said Mary Waters High School struggles with a low matric pass rate, which he attributes to a shortage of teachers and the dual-medium instruction in English and Afrikaans. “You may find that the school has only one Mathematics teacher who is trained in English but also has to teach the Afrikaans class. This language barrier makes it difficult for both the teacher to deliver the lesson and Afrikaans-speaking pupils to grasp the subject effectively,” explained Jam.
While the SACP would have liked to include basic toiletries in their donation to create a comprehensive dignity pack, budget constraints limited their contributions to sanitary towels. The organization conducts similar sanitary drives across seven municipalities in the Eastern Cape and aims to make it an ongoing campaign throughout the year. They commenced their efforts in Ndlambe on Monday, 27 January 2025, and plan to extend their campaign to Sunday’s River Valley and the Kou-Kamma Local Municipality.
Nathaniel Nyaluza Senior Secondary School management expressed gratitude for the donation. “Initiatives like this make teaching easier, as some students choose to stay home due to a lack of sanitary towels,” said one of the teachers. She further noted that the sanitary products would be distributed to pupils in need, ensuring that those who experience emergencies or do not have access to these essentials at home receive support.
The SACP’s sanitary drive continues to make a meaningful impact, striving to create a more supportive and dignified learning environment for young girls across the province.
