SPARK Witpoortjie literacy teacher Palesa Honoko took it upon herself to make a difference in her school community in Witpoortjie. 

When Honoko saw many girls having academic challenges because they were starting adolescence, she wanted to find a way to make it easier for young girls and boys not to feel ashamed about going through adolescence.

To ensure that the girls were comfortable when they started their menstrual periods, Honoko brought sanitary towels to school so girls could have access to them if needed. 

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“I build relationships with the kids that I teach so they tell me about the challenges they face, Honoko says. 

She and her colleagues, Linden Meyers and Sakhile Mogoane, started talks about adolescence. Meyers and Mogoanes gave talks to the boys about the different changes their bodies will undergo as they grow older while she spoke to the girls. 

“Speaking to the scholars about adolescence helped scholars treat each other with kindness when faced with any challenges related to adolescence,  such as body odour and unexpected periods,” she says. 

Seeing the difference the initiative was making in the scholars’ lives, Honoko, with the help of the school principal, Phumelele Sibiya, decided to make the initiative a school-wide initiative that would reach the greater community of Witpoortjie. 

The initiative was also aimed at showcasing the school’s 6th core value, cooperation. 

“We decided to create care packages for children from previously disadvantaged communities close to our school. We collected facecloths, toothpaste, sanitary towels, and bath soaps,” she says. 

The team used this to create care packages, which were donated to the schools in the community.  

The school has collected care packages and donated to nearby communities for three years.  Honoko believes that the initiative is essential in setting up scholars, especially young girls, for success.