Yayasan Suria JB(YSJB) – Covid-19 & sanitary pads.
Yes, wondering why we get involved in sanitary pads?
With the hardships faced by the Poor & Needy during this period when they have hardly any money to put food on the table, this monthly requirement by our women folks becomes a ‘sensitive & not-so-nice-to- talk’ about issue. But not for YSJB. We take the bull by its horns and confront the issue head on.
The Poor & Needy too have an issue with ‘condensed milk babies’, many were being fed with condensed milk, mothers just couldn’t afford milk powder, we have solved this issue by providing IFCMP(Instant Full Cream Milk Powder), courtesy of *Promac Industries Sdn Bhd.*
Thank you, Promac! 
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We stumbled across this issue of sanitary pads when we sat down with the women to discussed their plights, we interact with our clients often, at first it was so hard for me(being a guy) to bring up this ‘sensitive’ issue for discussion, slowly but surely, the women folks opened up and now we provide this sanitary pad item as our ‘standard’ food bank pack. Also we include Paracetamol(Panadol), soap for bathing as an additional items. Now, in addition to our food bank which consists of rice, Milo, onions, garlic, tomato/chilly sauce, instant noodles, mee hoon, yellow mee, cabbage, carrot, cucumber(no leafy veg as they don’t last), chicken & eggs, biscuits, sardines, baked beans, sugar, salt, flour, etc, as just mentioned and “additionals” are:
*Panadol, sanitary pads, soap & Promac milk.*
We always mix fun with work. This interesting conversation was between the checkout counter girls at the supermarts. We shopped there so aften that we literally know everyone. This was when I was purchasing so many packs of Kotex.
“Wah, Uncle buying so many Kotex for what?”
“For the Poor & Needy women lah”
“Next time Uncle also want to try to wear them lah”
“But Uncle want to wear them where?
” Oh, ya lah!”
” Uncle not shy ah! Some more talking so loud ah”
Every body, including the counter girls and a few customers checking out all laughed and we laughed together with them. The world is a better place to live when laughter is the norm.
There were times when we didn’t buy any sanitary pads and the girls will remind us “why this time, no sanitary pads ah?” We now have lots of sanitary pads in our office cum store at 107, Jalan Bakawali 50, Taman Johor Jaya, JB.
Also we discovered that sanitary pads have expiry dates too. We noticed that the manufacturing date is stated on the packet. We called up Kotex and was told “it is 3 years from the date printed provided it is kept under shade, not exposed to sunlight and kept in a dry place. Learn something new here!
The best was I shared this expiry date issue with a male friend and he replied: “I never use and never know that too bro
“
We are, in the midst, of writing to Kotex to ask for sponsorship or getting them at a discounted price.
We provide a standard pack of 12 pieces costing RM5. 10 and *we appeal to all ladies out there(also men too) to help out in any way so that the money saved from buying these sanitary pads can be channeled to buy food for more needy families.*