“VUT, through its Alumni Relations and Institutional HIV and AIDS Unit, donates sanitary towels and food to Kitso Information Development Centre, empowering female learners to overcome barriers to education and digital skills development in 2025.”
25 November 2025 | Story by: By: Tayron Mhlongo | Picture: Peter Masela
2 minutes read time.
The Vaal University of Technology (VUT), through its Alumni Relations department and its Institutional HIV and AIDS Unit (IHAU), has reinforced its commitment to community upliftment by extending support to the Kitso Information Development Centre. On 18 November 2025, representatives from VUT donated sanitary towels to all female participants, accompanied by a food parcel to assist the centre’s ongoing programmes.
The initiative responds to persistent challenges faced by young women, particularly limited access to sanitary products, which often results in missed classes. This absence disrupts academic progress and jeopardises participation in the digital skills training offered through the E Skills VUT programme at Kitso.
Life Skills Facilitator, Ms Mamokete Annahlahane, expressed deep appreciation for the donation, emphasising its immediate impact on learners’ dignity and educational continuity. “We are very appreciative of what VUT has donated to us because we have learners who are struggling to have access to basic needs, so they really need this. Sometimes, you may find that others are not attending classes because they lack access to sanitary towels. We are so grateful for VUT considering the needs of our kids,” she said.
Beyond meeting a basic need, the donation advances gender equality and contributes to dismantling the stigma that often surrounds menstruation. It also helps create a supportive environment where young women can participate fully in their learning journeys.
Learner Ms Lerato Matitwane, who is part of the computer literacy programme at Kitso, welcomed the support with gratitude. “I am happy for these sanitary towels because now I will save money and they will be able to last me for a good while,” she shared.
Through this gesture, VUT continues to champion empowerment, dignity, and access to education. By addressing structural barriers that undermine young women’s progress, the institution affirms its role in building resilient, confident, and capable communities.