JOHANNESBURG, February 01, 2024 — FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, as a part of their global FedEx Cares Purple Tote campaign focused on women’s health across Africa. The donation was centred around breast cancer awareness, and menstrual and personal hygiene, aiming to address pressing health issues affecting women in the region.
Under this global initiative, FedEx volunteers invested their time to support NGOs - Carl Sithole Centre in Klipspruit, Soweto, and Smile Foundation in Namibia.
According to the World Health Organization, preventing and treating breast cancer is a critical public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa. The survival rates for breast cancer in the region stand at a discouraging 40%, compared to over 90% in most high-income countries.[i] FedEx team members at Carl Sithole Centre took the delivery of the Purple Tote bags as an opportunity to drive conversations of breast cancer awareness with the center staff, young girls, and women. The tote bags donated were uniquely customized with flowers and inscribed with individual names. Other essential items included were bras, feminine hygiene products (sanitary napkins and roll-on deodorants), and breast cancer awareness-building brochures emphasizing the need for screening and self-examination.
FedEx team members also acknowledged the significant challenges surrounding menstrual hygiene in the sub-Saharan Africa region where menstrual stigma is still widespread. A UNESCO report indicated that 1 in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa missed school during their periods due to a lack of access to menstrual products and adequate sanitation facilities. To address these issues, FedEx team members, in Windhoek, Namibia, collaborated with Smile Foundation to educate young girls on the importance of menstrual hygiene. Each tote bag donated contained menstrual hygiene products such as sanitary napkins.
These donations of supplies were made as part of the annual FedEx Cares Purple Tote Campaign to encourage FedEx team members to come together and support the NGOs they value most in their local communities. Across the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and Africa (MEISA) region, this campaign impacted over 1700 beneficiaries including young children, the elderly, and the under-served groups who received goods with love from around 514 FedEx team members who spent over 1000 volunteering hours.
Natasha Parmanand, Managing Director Operations, Sub-Saharan Africa, FedEx Express MEISA said, “At the heart of the FedEx Cares program is our commitment to empower each team member with an opportunity to make a difference. We firmly believe in the wellbeing of women. This is essential for a healthier society and a better future of these communities. And we don’t just operate in communities but also try to serve as an integral part of their welfare”.
As part of FedEx Cares, team members around the globe are encouraged to come together to “Drive forward. Give back” by volunteering and committing to acts of caring throughout the year. Learn more at fedexcares.com.
About FedEx Express
FedEx Express is one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, supplying fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories. FedEx Express uses a global air-and-ground network to speed the delivery of time-sensitive shipments by a definite time and date.
[i] https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/addressing-inequities-in-breast-cancer-treatment-in-sub-saharan-africa--insights-from-a-breast-cancer-surgeon-in-nairobi