Free tampons, pads at school is ‘brilliant’: charity Essentials 4 Women SA provides vending machines at high schools

VENDING machines to supply free sanitary items for female students have been installed at two Adelaide high schools.

The machines provided by local charity Essentials 4 Women SA, have been set up at Woodville High School, St Clair, and Ocean View College, Taperoo.

“Our vending machine program is designed to help support those most disadvantaged throughout our community,” the charity’s co-founder, Amy Rust, said.

Students are able to take products home for family members as well.

Cathy Bushby, in charge of student wellbeing at Woodville High School, has described the initiative as “brilliant”.

“If this is one less thing our students need to worry about, it is a good thing — if they can come to school and know they can access free tampons and pads,” she says.

Ms Bushby says the cost of sanitary items is a big issue for many of the students at the school, located in a low socio-economic area.

“It is something students talk about — they tell me they wait until these items are on sale to buy them,” she said.

“This isn’t a luxury item — girls have periods, it is what nature does — and it shouldn’t be a struggle to access them.”

Ms Bushby says some students will stay away from school be

cause they don’t have the supplies they need.

“We’re hopeful this initiative will boost attendance rates, as girls won’t have to avoid coming to school just because they have their period,” she said.

Originally published as Free sanitary items at two Adelaide schools