The Dis-Chem Foundation has launched a new, chapter of its flagship Million Comforts Campaign, evolving the initiative beyond the provision of sanitary products into a holistic learner empowerment programme designed to support public school learners across South Africa.
The upgraded campaign was officially launched at Willow Crescent Secondary School in Eldorado Park, where 1,600 learners gathered to mark the beginning of this next phase focused on inclusivity, sustainability and long-term learner development.
Whilst the core of the campaign remains keeping girls in school by providing sanitary pads, the Million Comforts Campaign has now broadened its scope to respond to the wider social, health and developmental challenges faced by all learners. The programme prioritises non-fee-paying government schools and aims to equip learners with the confidence, skills and support they need to succeed, regardless of background, gender or academic standing.
“Schools should be safe, supportive spaces for learning, yet many learners face daily challenges linked to limited access to hygiene products, health services and mentorship, which directly affects confidence and academic participation,” says Jacqueline Kahlberg from The Dis-Chem Foundation.
The expanded Million Comforts Campaign focused on an holistic approach to learner empowerment and integrates multiple pillars of support, including:
- Access to health services
- Hygiene and health education
- Mentorship and life-skills development
- Career-pathway guidance and exposure
The above initiatives are being extended to the boys as it recognises the importance of male learners, whose confidence, wellbeing, and learning experience can also be affected by a lack of access to basic hygiene products and supportive education around health and personal care. By addressing immediate and long-term development needs, the programme fosters an environment where all students, regardless of gender can feel confident and supported during vulnerable developmental stages.
National reach with sustained support
The countrywide initiative will run two extensive national sanitary pad collection periods each year, in March and July, with sanitary pad donations and hygiene products collected at scale across all Dis-Chem and Dis-Chem Baby City stores nationwide.
The girls at beneficiary schools will receive six months’ worth of sanitary pads twice a year, ensuring continuity of care and uninterrupted support throughout the academic year.
To maximise reach and effectiveness, the expanded campaign is supported by new strategic partnerships which include:
- C J Distribution, managing first-mile logistics from stores to the Foundation’s warehouses
- Suzuki,providing branded vehicle support and campaign visibility across schools, stores and community engagements
- Community To Career, a subsidiary of The Humanitarian Empowerment Fund distribution and learner development initiatives
- Unilever, contributing towards logistics and implementation
The launch at Willow Crescent Secondary School included health and hygiene lessons delivered by Dis-Chem nurses, alongside drug awareness education and financial literacy awareness. The day concluded with a friendly soccer match between selected Willow Crescent learners and Refilwe FC.
The Dis-Chem Foundation remains committed to another year of meaningful impact, keeping girls in school, restoring dignity, and empowering all learners to thrive and become the very best versions of themselves.
