A Mitchells Plain meisie spent her 12th birthday on Sunday bringing cheer and relief to girls on the Cape Flats by donating sanitary pads to the Menstruation Foundation.
Jeanne Cara le Roux, from New Woodlands, collected pads over two weeks after telling her mom she didn’t want anything for her birthday.
Instead, the soft-spoken Grade 6 Claremont Primary School pupil collected the pads from friends and family.
Mom Roberther le Roux says she’s proud of daughter’s caring spirit.
“She wants to have a sanitary pad vending machine installed in all Mitchells Plain schools because she is from here,” she says.
Jeanne’s target was 120 packs of pads but collected 400 packs to donate to the Menstruation Foundation, a non-profit organisation that fights period poverty and gives females dignity. The foundation was co-founded by entertainer Siv Ngesi.
Jeanne also managed to make up a Kindness Box for 20 girls from Sukuma Usinde (Rise and Survive) NPC from Tafelsig, and supplied the PJ Day Care in Elsies River with 150 party packets.
Jeanne tells the Daily Voice: “I started the drive by sending out WhatsApp messages and updating social media with assistance from my mom.
“I asked my aunts, uncles, family friends, and my mom got my favourite singer Jarrad Ricketts and his wife Kim who also joined in making a difference.”
At the Menstruation Foundation in Pinelands, the crew showed her how their set-up works.
“I thank God for everyone who helped me help our community,” says Jeanne/
“I really enjoyed every moment from counting the packs of sanitary towels, packing the kindness boxes to seeing the smiles on the girls’ faces.”
“We wanted to give her something special to help her expand herself and her big heart.”