Are you looking for a way to make a meaningful difference in your community?
Join the #ClothPadRevolution and donate sustainable, resuable pads to keep girls in school and give them a chance to improve their lives.
We've visited over 200 schools and helped more than 131,000 girls so far. We offer complete reusable pads kits that give girls all the menstrual pads they need for the next 5 years. Our pads empower girls, help keep girls in school and help save the environment. We also facilitate fun, educational activation events, which help to breakdown the negative stigmas around menstruation. We work within your budget to achieve the greatest impact.
Palesa Reusable Pads
Girls who can’t afford sanitary pads sometimes resort to using makeshift pads such as toilet rolls, rags or foam from old mattresses. In the very rural areas, girls sometimes even use cow dung, dried into patties and wrapped in cloth. None of these solutions are hygienic or reliable. Palesa Pads helps girls to manage their monthly period safely and with dignity.
According to research done by Stellenbosch University about 30% of female learners in South African schools miss between 3 to 5 days of school when they menstruate as they cannot afford reliable hygiene products. The equates to about a 90 days of their school year. As a result, many of these girls fall behind in their schoolwork and ultimately tend to drop out of school. Often, being at home more during the day leads to them becoming victims of gender-based violence and/or teen pregnancy. Palesa Pads reusable cloth sanitary pads help to keep girls in school.
Disposable pads can take up to 800 years to decompose. A typical woman will put about 9,600 disposable sanitary products into the environment during her menstruating lifetime. It is critical that our generation starts choosing sustainable products that help to minimise this ever-growing waste.
Contact us today
Contact us today to book a virtual meeting to discuss how your company can make an impact.
Call us on +27 82 445 1779 or email us on sales@palesapads.com.
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Why work with us
- We've visited over 200 schools in South Africa and neighbouring countries to hand out pads and teach girls about menstruation.
- We've sponsored over 131,000 girls with their own pack of sustainable, reusable Palesa Pads.
- We've sold over 883,057 Palesa Pads.
- We've kept over 176,611,400 disposable (single use plastic) sanitary products out of landfills, pit toilets and the environment in general.
- The top layer of Palesa Pads is made from a high-quality dry wicking sports fabric that wicks away moisture from the skin, to ensure comfort all day long.
- We use a specially designed TPU waterproof fabric - which is the same fabric that is used for nappies - to ensure that our pads can capably hold your flow and never leak.
- Washable and reusable for up to 5 years!
- Easy to clean (they don't stain)
- Exceptionally absorbent (they don't leak)
- Hypo-allergenic
- Odour-free
- Environmentally friendly
- Hugely cost-saving!
Amazing Activation Events
Our activation events are one hour long and consist of uplifting entertainment in the form of singing and dancing plus a menstrual health education talk and demonstration of how to use and wash Palesa Pads.
We want the girls to appreciate how miraculous their bodies are and to be proud of themselves! We answer many questions that they might not feel comfortable asking a teacher or parent. We are always impressed with how eager the girls are to learn.
Where possible we include a motivational talk from an inspiring woman, usually a representative of the sponsor.
Watch some of our events below or find our YouTube channel here!
Download our activation events brochure below for more info on how many products to sponsor to qualify for a free activation event, event agendas, branding, and other event related info!
Watch some of our previous activations below!
Diepsloot West Secondary School
Lesego Primary School
Malatse Motsepe Secondary School
How many pads should you donate?
It is reasonable to expect that a girl would wear one pad for 8 hours, which means she would need 3 pads per day. We recommend a donation of 6 pads so that a girl has pads to wear while she washes and dries the others. However a few pads are better than no pads so we have smaller packs available too.
Many girls do not have decent panties, which can cause pads to slip. We offer panties to add to your donations as well, according to a sizing guide.
We propose the following packs as schoolgirl donations, particularly in rural areas.
Schoolgirl Testimonials
Contact us
Some of our past sponsors
Section 18A Certificate
If your organisation has made a donation and you would like to request a Section 18A tax certificate, please submit the required details by clicking below. Please note that as of 1 March 2023, SARS require some additional details to what was required previously.