Woman leads innovative initiative for girls
SANDTON - Sue Barnes has been revealed as Clarins South Africa's 2013 Most Dynamic Woman of the Year.
An event was held at Summer Place in Hyde Park to award, celebrate and congratulate Barnes.
She was honoured for her innovative initiative, Project Dignity, in which she invented a re-usable, washable eco-friendly sanitary product that includes pads that clip onto a pair of panties. “One pack should last a girl her entire high school career,” said Barnes. At her own cost, Barnes has been producing these packs and delivering them to school girls in KwaZulu Natal where she lives.
Barnes also educates the girls at schools on their menstruation cycle, their bodies, hormones, sex, pregnancy and HIV/Aids. She cleverly used an apron with the female anatomy on it to demonstrate to the girls how their bodies function. Barnes used her background in fashion design and fabric, then collaborated with South African designer, Gert Kotze, to produce the apron. He and many other South African celebrities attended the event.
Talk Radio 702 host, Jenny Crwys-Williams was the programme director for the night. Also, television personality Gerry Rantseli and Liesl Penniken of pop trio Jamali were just some of the guests attending the event.
During her acceptance speech, Barnes said, “It has been an amazing experience and Clarins has showed me so much support. It has been really amazing to have interacted with the girls. Being a mom with three girls and knowing that there are still young girls out there who cannot afford sanitary towels, I just had to do something.”
She went on to thank her husband, her children and everyone who has assisted her with the project. Barnes also announced that she had resigned from her job and that she wanted to dedicate all her time raising funds to continue with Project Dignity.
