Stayfree to donate 6,000 packs of sanitary pads after Banyana Banyana’s Olympic qualifier win

Stayfree has pledged to donate 6,000 packs of sanitary pads following Banyana Banyana’s Olympic qualifying matches against Madagascar, bringing the campaign’s total donations to 14,000 packs.

The donation forms part of the brand’s Goals 4 Pads initiative, which commits 1,000 packs of sanitary pads for every goal scored by South Africa’s national women’s football team.

Although Banyana Banyana won 7-0 on aggregate, one of the goals was an own goal by a Madagascar defender. The campaign therefore counts six goals scored by the South African team, translating into 6,000 packs of sanitary pads.

The products will be distributed to schools, football academies and programmes supporting girls and female athletes across South Africa.

The initiative is part of Stayfree’s #KeepingThemLockedIn partnership with Banyana Banyana, which aims to promote menstrual health, confidence and participation in sport.

From 9 to 13 October, Stayfree also hosted football-themed activations at Loch Logan Waterfront in Bloemfontein, giving supporters an opportunity to participate in interactive activities and win tickets to the team’s home fixture at Toyota Stadium.

South African Football Association (SAFA) chief executive Lydia Monyepao said the partnership supported women’s football while helping address barriers that prevent girls from participating in sport.

She said many girls from disadvantaged backgrounds could not afford basic necessities such as sanitary pads, affecting their ability to participate comfortably in football.

Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis said the initiative gave young girls an opportunity to dream and highlighted how access to sanitary products could help them remain in school and participate in sport.

Kenvue Sub-Saharan Africa managing director Astrid Stealey said sanitary pads were an important part of an elite female athlete’s equipment, adding that reliable protection helped build confidence and support performance.

The latest donation brings the campaign’s cumulative total to 14,000 packs. This includes 2,000 packs from the initiative’s earlier stages, including the team’s match against Japan, 6,000 packs during the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) tournament in Morocco, and the latest 6,000 packs from the Madagascar qualifiers.

Stayfree said the initiative aims to help more girls access essential menstrual hygiene products so they can participate in education, sport and everyday life with confidence.