Hisense SA backs PERIOD.project with donation to help fight period poverty
Cape Town, South Africa. Hisense South Africa marked Women’s Month with a gesture rooted in dignity, care and practical support, donating R20 000 worth of pads, pantyliners and sanitary wipes to PERIOD.project in support of its Cape Town awareness event.
Created as a space for honesty, creativity and connection, the event invited women and girls to speak openly about an experience that is still too often hidden, whispered about or met with discomfort. At its heart was a simple belief: menstrual dignity is not a women’s issue. It is a human issue, and every girl deserves to move through the world without shame.
Through documentary portraits, hands-on learning and interactive discussion, participants were encouraged to reflect on what dignity means in everyday life. Aurora Marcopoulos, founder at The Cora Project, co-hosted a workshop exploring sustainable menstrual solutions and the realities many girls face in managing their periods, while Eveline Gerritsen, Founder of the PERIOD.project, guided a broader conversation around menstrual dignity, confidence and inclusion. A Myth or Fact quiz helped unpack the misconceptions that continue to drive stigma, embarrassment and silence.
The most powerful moments come from the girls themselves. Through PERIOD.project, learners from Jan Van Riebeeck School and Salt River High School transform menstrual products into crowns, headbands and necklaces, reclaiming items too often hidden away and turning them into symbols of pride, dignity and self-expression. The message is unmistakable: periods should never diminish a girl’s confidence. Every girl deserves to feel seen, supported and unashamed of her body.
The need for this work remains urgent. At a parliamentary colloquium on access to menstrual hygiene products held in April 2026, participants heard that 83% of girl learners in South Africa lack consistent access to menstrual hygiene products at home and at school. As a result, one in four girls misses school every month because safe, accessible products are out of reach.
For Hisense South Africa, the donation was a practical way to support both immediate need and longer-term awareness.
“A donation of menstrual products may look simple, but it can change the shape of a girl’s day. It can mean going to school, taking part in a conversation, or moving through the world without having to hide a basic part of life,” said Luna Nortje, Deputy General Manager, Hisense South Africa. “Hisense is proud to support PERIOD.project because dignity needs both action and conversation. When practical support is paired with honest dialogue, we help create spaces where girls can feel seen, respected and included.”
For 30 years, Hisense has been part of South Africa’s story. Since entering the market in 1996, the company has grown its footprint while carrying forward a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility. Three decades on, Hisense remains committed to putting world-class technology in South African hands, and giving South Africans a hand in building it.
For Marcopoulos, the workshop was about giving participants knowledge they could use beyond the event itself. “When girls understand their bodies and have access to the products and information they need, they are better equipped to make choices with confidence. Menstrual health should be something people can talk about without judgement. Workshops like this help shift the conversation from embarrassment to education, and from silence to support.”
PERIOD.project founder and documentary photographer Eveline Gerritsen used visual storytelling to invite guests to look again at an experience many people carry quietly. Visitors responded to prompts such as “What does dignity mean to you?” and “When have you felt excluded?”, adding their own reflections alongside the portraits. In the afternoon’s Pass The Mic session and closing circle, guests were invited to listen as carefully as they spoke.
“I watched girls make crowns from products that are usually tucked away or spoken about in whispers. That act of creativity said so much about strength, self-worth, and the power of being seen,” shared Gerritsen. “PERIOD.project exists to make room for these stories, and Hisense’s support helped us create a day where people could learn, share and leave with a deeper understanding that menstrual dignity deserves action.”
The work will continue beyond Women’s Month. PERIOD.project will carry the conversation into WOMEN.project, a collaborative exhibition opening at artHarare on Saturday, 29 August 2026. Bringing together women photographers and visual artists, the exhibition will explore womanhood, identity, resilience and social justice through a wider collection of women’s stories.
Hisense SA’s contribution gives PERIOD.project essential products to support its menstrual-dignity work, while reinforcing the broader message heard throughout the event: every woman and girl deserves access, information and the freedom to participate fully in everyday life.