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Menstrual products
Support towards the products women need to manage their periods, with attention to individual circumstances and product needs.
Menstrual health is not a once-off need. For women facing the cost of menstrual products and everyday personal-care essentials, access has to be consistent. This appeal will help strengthen support for 50 women over five months.
Menstrual products are recurring essentials. Their cost can place pressure on already stretched household budgets.
When money is tight, women and girls may have to make difficult decisions about which essentials to buy, how long to make products last, or what other household needs must take priority.
Period poverty is not only about whether a product is available. It is also about whether a person can access what they need consistently, with privacy, dignity and choice.
The cost of menstrual products can intersect with the cost of transport, food, toiletries, water and other everyday necessities. These pressures are not experienced in exactly the same way by every woman.
Menstrual health should not become another monthly financial crisis.
Our reason for respondingMiddflow’s response starts with listening to women and recognising the circumstances in which they are navigating menstrual health. This appeal is one part of that response: practical, direct support over a defined period.
The 50 Women. Five Months. appeal is a direct-support initiative. It is intended to help women access menstrual products and personal-care essentials across five consecutive months.
Support towards the products women need to manage their periods, with attention to individual circumstances and product needs.
Where available funds and assessed needs allow, the appeal will also contribute towards relevant personal-care essentials.
The five-month period recognises that menstrual health needs recur. The intention is to support women beyond a single once-off handover.
The women Middflow engages with live in different circumstances, households and communities. Their experiences are not identical, and neither are their needs.
Some are navigating financial pressure. Others face practical barriers to obtaining menstrual products or maintaining access to everyday personal-care essentials.
Middflow is already engaging with and supporting women in different geographical areas. Their experiences and stories are part of the reason this appeal exists.
The appeal is intended to strengthen that existing work and provide a more sustained period of support for the 50 women included in this initiative.
Middflow is already engaging with and supporting women in different geographical areas. This includes women in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Mpumalanga, among other areas where we have established connections.
These are not simply locations on a map. They represent women whose experiences Middflow is familiar with and whose circumstances help inform the work.
The map deliberately avoids naming individual communities or identifying beneficiaries. It communicates the geographical breadth of existing engagement while protecting people’s privacy.
The appeal is structured around practical support and responsible use of funds. The approach is designed to connect identified needs with available resources over the five-month period.
Continue engaging with women and understanding their circumstances and menstrual-health needs.
Use available information to guide product selection, quantities and practical arrangements for support.
Coordinate the provision of menstrual products and relevant personal-care essentials to women included in the initiative.
Track the use of funds and document the support provided across the appeal period.
The Middflow Project will be undertaking a business outreach and donation appeal exercise in selected areas of Ekurhuleni, beginning in Boksburg and surrounding areas. We are sharing this notice in advance so that businesses and community members are aware of the initiative and can verify the representatives who may approach them.
The Middflow Project is a South African registered non-profit organisation working to strengthen menstrual-health access. Its work recognises that access involves more than the availability of menstrual products. It also considers the practical circumstances, personal-care needs and everyday barriers that affect women’s ability to manage their menstrual health with dignity.
The organisation was established in 2020 and is registered with the Department of Social Development as an NPO (Registration No. 292-415).
The appeal is a direct-support initiative intended to strengthen access to menstrual products and personal-care essentials for 50 women over five months.
Fundraising target: R30,000
This represents an average planning allocation of
R600 per woman over five months, or approximately
R120 per woman per month.
These are planning averages, not fixed cash payments or a guarantee that every woman will receive an identical package. Actual provision will depend on available funds, purchasing costs, individual needs and practical delivery arrangements.
The appeal responds to the recurring cost of menstrual products and everyday personal-care essentials. Its intention is to provide support over time rather than treating menstrual-health needs as a once-off requirement.
Local businesses are important members of the communities in which people live and work. Middflow is inviting businesses to consider whether they are able to contribute towards this defined appeal.
The outreach is an opportunity to explain the initiative, share the fundraising target and invite voluntary financial contributions. Businesses are not being approached because a contribution is expected or required. Participation is entirely voluntary.
We also recognise that businesses have different circumstances and capacities. A contribution should only be made if it is appropriate and manageable for the business concerned.
The business outreach is being coordinated by The Middflow Project. Zile Madida, Strategic Commercial Lead, is the designated representative for this appeal.
Any additional person representing the organisation in this exercise must be specifically authorised by The Middflow Project and able to provide confirmation of that authority.
Representatives should be able to identify themselves and explain the purpose of the visit. Businesses are welcome to request identification and written authorisation before engaging or making a contribution.
We encourage businesses and members of the public to verify any approach independently before making a contribution.
You can confirm the appeal and the identity of a representative directly through Middflow’s official communication channels:
The appeal information and contribution options are published on this page. Please use the official contribution channels provided by The Middflow Project.
Cash will be collected at the discretion of The Middflow Project and a receipt shall be provided immediately during business visits. There is no obligation to contribute during a visit, and businesses may take time to verify the information before deciding whether to participate.
We appreciate the businesses, community organisations and local representatives who help circulate this notice and make the community aware of the appeal. Whether or not a business is able to contribute, the opportunity to understand the work and verify the request is important.
The Middflow Project
Equity by Design
DSD Registered NPO No. 292-415
The target is built around a five-month support period for 50 women. It does not depend on one large donor or one fixed contribution.
The R30,000 target translates into an average planning allocation of R600 per woman over five months, or approximately R120 per woman per month.
These figures help explain the scale of the appeal. They are planning averages, not fixed cash payments to individual women, guaranteed product quantities or a promise that every person will receive an identical package.
Actual product selection and allocation will depend on available funds, purchasing costs, individual needs and practical delivery considerations.
Illustrative combinations that each add up to R30,000.
| Number of contributors | Contribution per person | Total raised |
|---|---|---|
| 3 people | R10,000 | R30,000 |
| 6 people | R5,000 | R30,000 |
| 10 people | R3,000 | R30,000 |
| 30 people | R1,000 | R30,000 |
| 60 people | R500 | R30,000 |
| 100 people | R300 | R30,000 |
| 300 people | R100 | R30,000 |
| 1,000 people | R30 | R30,000 |
These are possible combinations to show how the R30,000 target could be reached. They are examples, not fundraising tiers, minimums or expectations.
You can contribute any amount that is manageable for you. Contributions can be combined across different amounts. A group of friends, colleagues, family members or a workplace can each contribute what they are comfortable giving.
You do not need to give R300, R500 or R1,000 to participate. A smaller contribution matters too. The objective is R30,000 raised, not R30,000 from one person or one hundred people.
Find the amount that works for you. Different contributions. One shared target. Your contribution can help move it forward.
Contributions to this appeal are intended to support a defined group of women over a defined period. Responsible record-keeping matters as much as the fundraising target.
Middflow’s community stories reflect experiences that inform our work. They help make visible the everyday realities behind menstrual-health access, without reducing women to their circumstances.
Choose a preset amount, use a custom amount, or contribute by EFT. There is no required contribution amount. Every contribution helps build towards the R30,000 target.
Select a preset PayFast amount, or use Paystack or SnapScan for a custom amount.
Want to give another amount?
The preset amounts are options, not minimums. Use a custom amount if you would like to contribute something different.
Use the following details to make a direct bank transfer.
Menstrual health is part of everyday life. Help us strengthen access to the products and essentials women need, with dignity and continuity.
Contribute to the Appeal