Restoring dignity: Cassper Nyovest raises R25,000 to tackle period poverty
Cassper Nyovest is using his influence to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged girls who cannot afford sanitary towels.
Access to sanitary products remains a challenge for many South African girls. Research shows that about seven million girls cannot afford to buy pads even month, with many having to miss school due to period poverty.
In an attempt to help eliminate the problem, rapper Cassper Nyovest recently launched One Million Voices for One Million Girls, an initiative aimed at providing sanitary towels to one million girls every month.
Launched in July, Cassper said as a husband and girl dad, he began thinking about the impact of young girls struggling to afford something as basic and necessary as pads.
"A couple of weeks ago, I heard the term period poverty for the first time. To be honest, I had never heard of it before. But as a husband and the father of a little girl, I believe it’s my responsibility to understand the challenges women and girls face," he wrote on Instagram.
As a result, he launched the initiative to help address the challenge.
On Monday, the 'Doc Shebeleza' rapper took to social media to announce that Universal Music South Africa has partnered with him and contributed R25,000 towards the initiative.
“There are so many young girls who miss school and opportunities because they don’t have access to something as basic as sanitary products. That shouldn’t be their reality,” he wrote.
“Big thank you to Universal Music SA for coming on board and supporting the vision.”
Cassper has also called on more people to donate and support the initiative.
According to the initiative’s website, people can make a once-off, monthly or yearly donation, with contributions starting from R10. Donors can also leave an optional message with their contribution.
The website states a quote from Nyovest: “No young girl should have to choose between her education and her dignity. When we stand together, we don’t just change lives; we change futures.”
The movement has received positive responses, with many people showing their support on Cassper’s social media platforms.
Other South African celebrities who have sanitary towels initiative include comedian Sivuyile Ngesi who is the co-founder of a sanitary pad factory and the MENstruation Foundation, Lerato Kganyago and Ntsiki Mazwai.
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