BME’s sanitary towel drive empowers schoolgirls
With Youth Day soon to be celebrated again in South Africa, Omnia group company BME is supporting a reusable sanitary towel drive as part of its empowerment of girls through education.
“Three out of 10 girls in South Africa still miss school during their monthly menstrual cycle, leading to a significant loss of education of up to 90 days per year,” said Kasturi Adari, BME’s GM for Human Resources. “This is a reality no child should face.”
Adari highlighted that the core purpose of the Omnia Group is to enhance life and create a greener future – and an integral part of this mission is creating opportunities for people to grow and thrive. BME’s corporate social investment focuses on education, especially in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
“In celebration of Youth Month and in honour of the youth of June 16, we have launched a Reusable Sanitary Towel Drive aimed at bringing about empowerment, dignity and positive change to our young girls in the communities where we operate,” she explained. “It is critical to ensure that girls do not miss essential school days.”
BME has partnered with Palesa Pads and Afribiz to distribute over 3,000 reusable sanitary towel packs, which are designed to last a girl her entire high school career. They are washable, sustainable and provide a dignified solution for those who cannot afford disposable pads – ensuring they can attend school with confidence even during their menstrual cycles.
“It will take a great deal to shift our society to a place of equal opportunity, but we believe that every little contribution is a step towards giving our youth a better outlook for the future,” she said.
The schools targeted by this initiative are located in various parts of the country namely, Germiston and Fochville in Gauteng, Aggeneys and Pofadder in the Northern Cape, Ogies in Mpumalanga, Mokopane in Limpopo, and Brits in North-West province. The distribution of sanitary packs is combined with awareness talks on menstruation and motivational messages.
About BME
BME is part of the Omnia Group, a JSE-listed diversified provider of specialised chemical products and services used in the mining, agriculture, and chemicals sectors. The blasting and explosives company is an integrated provider of safe, smart, sustainable blasting solutions – collaborating closely with customers and business partners to create value across the blasting cycle.
Formed over three decades ago on the strength of a new cold emulsion technology that has since become an industry standard, the company offers innovative products and services at every stage in the blasting supply chain.
As a mid-tier, global manufacturer and supplier of explosives, related accessories and blasting services to the mining, quarrying and construction industries, its continuous improvement is driven by an agile, solutions-based approach. Its commitment to operational excellence ensures customers of fit-for-purpose solutions that optimise mining efficiency – delivered reliably through its secure supply chain. The company is committed to environmental social and governance (ESG) initiatives to underpin our sustainable strategies that innovate to enhance life, together creating a greener future.
Our footprint covers 17 African counties including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Swaziland, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, DRC, Sierra Leone, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Senegal and Eritrea. The company also has legal entities in Australia, Canada, Indonesia and the USA.
