CODE RED
Over the Walls Together is excited to launch our Code Red project. In South Africa and other developing countries many young girls from underprivileged homes have little to no access to sanitation and sanitary pads. Communities rifled with poverty are unable to provide growing girls in their household with their monthly sanitary requirements as well as the right education about sanitary management and disposal.
Also, many parents and caregivers are uncomfortable speaking about menstruation. It’s usually filled with secrecy, anxiety, fear and even embarrassment. We want to help young girls develop positive mindsets, move away from negative talk about periods as well understand the changes that their body goes through. Women especially young girls need to embrace their menstrual cycle as a beautiful and a natural process of their bodies changing.
Our Course
At Over the Walls Together we have researched the basic needs and challenges that girls from underprivileged communities face during menstruation. We have come to understand that to promote and encourage a positive mindset towards creating a gender equal society where gender based violence and abuse does not exist, it starts with helping young girls embrace their feminine identity without the misconceptions that society imposes on women and girls. There is a lot of myths and misconceptions associated with girls, women and menstruation. By helping young girls to embrace their menstrual cycle along with leadership and mindset development we believe that it will help young girls on their journey to adulthood.
Our song Join Hands Around The World also speaks about “being a woman ain’t a weakness”. Our project is designed to guide young girls towards becoming strong and independent women by mentoring them through a journey of creating a personal mission statement, understanding the changes in their body and teaching them to identify their unique skill set through interactive lessons, journaling and guidance from their families, caregivers and educators. We have developed a campaign which not only provides hygiene tools and sanitary pads but also important education around the female body and exercises for leadership development and skill set.
Campaign Strategy
Our non profit organization wants to work with businesses, community leaders , individuals and school representatives both locally and internationally.
Our current plans are to work with one school in Durban South Africa and in the next three months expand to a school in India, Tanzania and Kenya.
At the current school we have a group of 3 hundred young girls. We will be providing 100 girls with hygiene packs” and mentorship over a period of 1 year. The mentorship candidates range from age 10 to 13 (girls who have recently began menstruation). We also plan to provide the remaining 200 girls with a mentorship pack to help them learn about gender equality, leadership and mindset development.
Campaign Pack
- 1 year of sanitary pad supplies
- Deodorant
- Soap
- Menstruation, Hygiene and life goals journal
- Code Red pin badge
These packs will be provided every 4 months which enables us to touch base with the girls as well as ensuring they have supplies to last them for each set of 4 months.
Interaction & Mentoring
Each girl who receives a pack will sign their name as part of our data collection. This allows us to keep track of the girls who are within the CODE RED campaign and they become known as CODE RED AGENTS. Whilst educating the girls on various important topics we have also worked with local musicians to provide fun and entertainment on the days that we will be initiating each drop of.
Education
- Menstruation & what to expect – hygiene & body changes
- Becoming a woman - gender equality, interpersonal skills, independence & personal style
- Sexual Education – healthy relationship, hygiene, contraception & family planning
- Menstruation, Hygiene and life goals journal
- Career & Life Goals - personal vision statement & plan of action
- Financial goals for the future
- Mental & physical health – healthy eating & stress management
The “Menstruation, Hygiene and life goals journal” which is included in the CODE RED pack has been custom made for each child to jot down their journey through this teenage phase as well as scope out goals for their lives.
Whilst educating the girls on various important topics we will also be working with local musicians to provide fun and entertainment on the days that we will be initiating each drop of.
Your part in this campaign
Every contribution that is made towards the CODE RED campaign will be duly noted. Companies and organisations will be able to use this opportunity to give back to the community through CSR as well as use it as part of their VAT contribution (official letters available on request)
As part of our awareness project we will be posting our major sponsors names in social media and our web platforms. We will also be reaching out to local newspapers to highlight the campaign. As a sponsor you will receive updates every 4 months showcasing the pack drop-offs, pictures of the mentorship and feedback from the girls within the mentorship.
CODE RED forms part of our JOIN HANDS initiative to uplift communities by joining forces with companies and other organisations.
Campaign Costs
Gender Equality
- Not marginalizing professions or duties by gender but rather by abilities.
- Using gender equal language and pronouns.
- Encouraging a mix of boys and girls in duties and projects instead of promoting boys only and girls only duties.
- Using life orientation lessons to help learners understand gender bias through speaking about it or working on interactive projects.
- Speaking to learners about how their cultural, family and community beliefs impact their own beliefs about gender bias.
Global Challenge for schools
We are working with Jabu, the artist who is South African but currently living in the United States. Jabu is also a United Nations Peace Ambassador and he is very passionate about creating a gender equal social where free from any form of gender based violence and abuse.
We want schools to participate in creating a vision board with affirmations and artwork that shows a futuristic society where genders can live and work cohesively and safely alongside each other.
We invite schools to fill out the contact form and get in touch with us. Get involved with our school challenge and let’s work together in developing strong mindsets and leadership in our youth.
