Corporate Social Responsibility

Initial Hygiene is committed in giving back to the community through our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes. We focus on educating the communities on the importance of personal and environmental hygiene.

Did you know that according to a recent UNESCO report, one in ten girls in Sub-Saharan Africa misses school during their period because they do not have access to feminine hygiene products such as sanitary pads?

For SA, that could equate to around 900 000 girls missing up to 20% of a given school year. This - without doubt - causes them to miss out on economic opportunities in later life. 

According to Wash United, one additional year in school can increase a woman’s lifetime earnings by 10 - 20%.  Promoting good menstrual hygiene management is therefore critical to keeping girls in school, and thus enabling them to reach their full economic and social potential.

At Initial we are committed to tackling the plight faced by many young girls in South Africa - that of lack of access to sanitary pads - through our Hygiene Angels: Keeping Girls in School initiative. Sanitary pads donated to participating schools by Initial hygiene in partnership with Intengiso, together with free of charge Feminine Hygiene disposal units and hand sanitisers, will ensure that underprivileged schoolgirls across South Africa enjoy personal comfort today and a clean safe environment in future.

Initial Hygiene is passionate about providing a holistic menstrual hygiene system. We care about our communities and our clients, and are committed to preserving our environment through the safe disposal of sanitary waste, which is why the initiative also includes educational talks at participating schools to raise awareness around good menstrual hygiene management in its entirety.