Eleven of Adelaide’s private schools are joining local not-for-profit organisation, KickStart for Kids, in their fight to end period poverty in South Australia this May.   

Running for its fourth consecutive year, the number of schools participating in the sanitary product drive has grown from one in 2022, to now ten in 2025, demonstrating the increase of awareness, support and generosity in the community to help solve the issue.

The schools involved include Walford Anglican School for Girls, Wilderness School, Loreto College, St Paul’s College, Westminster School, Seymour College, Immanuel College, Cabra Dominican College, St Dominic’s Priory College, St Michael’s College, and all-boys school Rostrevor College, who are coming together by running fundraising drives at their schools throughout May to raise money and sanitary product donations for other students in need.

Each school will welcome KickStart for Kids founder, Ian Steel, as well as the charity’s recognisable period poverty ambassadors, including Connie Bonaros MLC, AFLW PAFC ruck Matilda Scholz, singer and TikTok personality Jenna in the Pink, and SA media personality Rebecca Morse, at their school assembly where they will address both students and teachers about the cause and their mission and how the community can help.

These assemblies, conducted around World Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28 May, are then accompanied by a sanitary product drive, with students and teachers being able to donate products in branded KickStart for Kids Against Period Poverty donation boxes.

Rostrevor College Principal, Shana Bennett, emphasises the vital role schools have in supporting this drive: “Rostrevor are proud to once again be partnering with KickStart for Kids to end period poverty in South Australia. Students have the opportunity to make a difference through action, embodying our College’s mission and touchstones. Initiatives like this empower our young people to develop empathy, leadership, and a strong sense of social justice. By engaging in meaningful service, they learn that even small acts of kindness can have a lasting impact.”

A survey conducted in May 2020* found that 1 in 4 South Australian girls miss out on attending school due to not having access to feminine hygiene products and 1 in 2 don’t know how to access sanitary items at school.

Since launching KickStart for Kids Against Period Poverty in 2021 in a bid to raise awareness, support, and funds for young South Australian girls experiencing period poverty, the local charity now provides almost 2,000 sanitary products to students across South Australia each month.

Ian has been overwhelmed by the increase of support for the cause throughout the years but is hoping that the school visits become something of the past.

“The fact that we started with one school and now have nine on board our school sanitary drive is truly amazing! We are particularly grateful that all-boys school Rostrevor are participating for the third year in a row… It’s so important to get the lads involved in the cause as well and get them understanding the struggles that girls who are less privileged than them sometimes have to face,” Ian said.

“While we are so grateful for the schools being involved, we do want these drives to become a thing of the past, as we want to see the end pf period poverty in South Australia because all girls should have the right to access the necessary items that they need,” Ian continued.

In addition to the support from Adelaide’s schools, KickStart for Kids is also hosting its annual SkyCity KickStart for Kids Period Poverty Fundraiser at Sol Rooftop on Friday, 30 May. Tickets are selling fast, and can be purchased here. 

The public can also continue supporting the cause by placing sanitary products in the donation boxes located in all 37 National Pharmacy stores across South Australia. Alternatively, people can donate via KickStart for Kids website. https://kickstartforkids.com.au/donate-to-help-end-period-poverty/

*Source: 2020 Sanitary Survey Short Report: Impact of Periods on School Students in South Australia by the Commissioner of Children and Young People.