South Africa’s national women’s football team, Banyana Banyana,will touch down in KuGompo City later today (Thursday) to help tackle “period poverty” and inspire
the next generation of local women athletes through the “Goals 4 Pads” initiative.

Hosted jointly by the South African Football Association (Safa) and sanitary hygiene brand,
Stayfree, the community event will take place at the Kenvue Manufacturing Facility in Dawn
from 11am to 2pm.

Banyana Banyana’s head coach, Dr Desiree Ellis, captain Refiloe Jane, defender Gabriella
Moodaly-Salgado, and forward, Antonia Maponya will join Safa CEO Lydia Monyepao for hands-on soccer drills and direct engagement with a local football academy.

The initiative bridges women’s sports excellence with social
responsibility, pledging 1,000 packs of sanitary pads for every goal scored by Banyana in official matches.

These donations are distributed directly to nominated local schools, football academies, and
community organisations across the country to ensure young women do not miss out on sports participation or schooling due to difficulties associated with menstrual health.

Ellis, explained how the initiative added deeper purpose to the team’s performance on the pitch.

“We always talk about women’s products coming on board as partners and sponsors,
and today, Kenvue and Stayfree came on board,” said Ellis.

“It’s not just a partnership in terms of supporting Banyana Banyana, but it’s a big partnership supporting the girl child.

“It’s a really important initiative. “We ’re not just going to be scoring
goals to win matches; we’re now going to be scoring goals to give that young girl child who cannot afford basic products during her menstrual cycle, the necessary
sanitary pads.”

Ellis said keeping young girls active in school and sports remained central to the campaign’s success.

“We want to thank Kenvue and Stayfree for coming on board, because we feel that the young girl child who misses out on school, or who misses out on sport, is now
going to be able to participate in all of those and be regularly at school.

“I think that is big for us in terms of making that difference in our communities, because we all come from communities, whether we like it or not, and we all have to
give back in some form,” she said.

Ellis called on football fans to actively participate in nominating beneficiary institutions as the teamprepares for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon).

“To the fans out there, you’re also going to play a role where
you’re going to nominate either a school or NGO.

“There’s also an opportunity for fans to come and support us at Wafcon, and the more fans, the merrier.

“So once again, thank you to Safa, thank you to Kenvue and Stayfree for coming on board to make that huge difference,” Ellis said.

Tooday’s event will include formal proceedings and a donation handover to a local academy and community groups.

Attendees will also tour Kenvue’s KuGompo facility to gain insight into local manufacturing operations that support national health and hygiene brands.

Kenvue South Africa managing director, Astrid Stealey, and Stayfree brand manager Zamashandu Mbatha will join Safa executives and local football stakeholders for the afternoon showcase.