Paving the Way for Future Generations of Women

Alright to round out this week, we wanted to end on a more serious note. To be clear, we 100% think you should be making financial plans to cover your menstrual cycle. It's an important topic, and we're so glad you stopped by to learn with us. The more you know about managing your money, the more prepared you are to make more critical financial decisions.

We're smart, capable women that are fortunate to have the luxury of purchasing hygiene products.

And what we mean by that is, not all women have the means to purchase sanitary products. Even though it's not something we necessarily love spending money on, it's something we need. We spent all week covering tactics on saving money while managing your period, skipping your period, and finding eco-friendly alternatives. Now it's time to take a moment to reflect on all the other women in the world that are not as fortunate as us.

Here are just a few things that break our hearts,

1. 2.3 billion people worldwide lack access to essential sanitary services, like clean running water, soap, and toilets.

2. In India, only 12% of women have access to sanitary products. This makes 70% of Indian women at risk for severe infection due to their lack of access.

3. Many girls often skip or miss out on school due to not being able to properly manage their periods. And when a girl misses school, it puts her behind her male classmates by 145 days.

4. In the least developed countries globally, only 27% of their populations have access to handwashing stations with soap and water at home.

Homelessness and periods

Adding the complication of homelessness while having your period makes the experience a lot worse. We can't imagine what it would be like dealing with cramps and not having proper sanitary products available at our disposal. Come to think of it, it would be another burden added to the list of things a homeless person would need to deal with. Beyond finding shelter and food, finding menstrual hygiene products adds more stress and vulnerability to a woman.

As mentioned, we know that having periods is expensive. Would the permanent solution be to provide free sanitary products in general? Let's put this into perspective- women never asked to have their periods. So why make us pay for our sanitary products? When going to the public washroom, does one pay to use toilet paper? What about the water we consume at the water fountain to replenish our water bottles? We think not! "Period poverty is strongly tied to finances, but its accessibility is the other important issue," added the Brand Manager for Intimina. "Still in this so-called modern century, there are hundreds of thousands of women that have limited access to menstrual hygiene products."

Women around the world

For many parts around the world, girls and women dread their time of the month. From the lack of access to proper hygiene products, washrooms, stigmas, casting from the community, and more… it becomes a mental and physical drain.

To give you an idea, here's a list of how women around the world deal with their periods and the stigma they face being a woman in general:

● In East Africa, women used twigs and leaves to construct pads or utilize bits of their mattress;

● In Japan, a woman can't be sushi chefs due to their hormonal imbalance;

● In Nepal, girls are placed in dark rooms;

● In North America, homeless women use free toilet paper from public washrooms;

● In Malawi, women are forbidden to talk about their periods- it's a secret;

● In Bolivia, girls are told to keep their used pads and ensure they are kept away from garbages;

● In parts of India, women and girls are told that their periods can cause cancer and can "pollute" like food;

● In Afghanistan, women are informed they'll become infertile with their periods if they shower;

● In Iran, half of the girls believe periods is a disease;

● In Kenya, women have to exchange sex for sanity products.

As you can tell, many women around the world are misinformed about periods in general. There will always be a stigma no matter where you grow up in the world. The misconceptions and endless myths about periods will continuously be misrepresented and tabooed unless we continue to educate and inform others.

What Are We Going to Do?

While there are many charities out there, we wanted to highlight one that has an impact on a global scale. And the best part is, you can start supporting this charity today from the comfort of your home.

The Pad Project

Mission: "The Pad Project's mission is to create and cultivate local and global partnerships to end period stigma and to empower women worldwide."

One of the most amazing things about this charitable organization is they're not restricting their support to solely hygiene education. They're also empowering women to become entrepreneurs in their community by setting up a business for them to support other women. The Pad Project partners with local organizations to start-up these businesses and creates cooperative projects revolving around reusable pads.

Women in developing countries are given an opportunity to contribute to their communities, provide access to safe, sustainable goods, and empower women of the future.

We love this charity for all the additional benefits that come with giving women their own business. This charity isn't just giving them sanitary products. They're also teaching them a skill that adds value to their lives. This boosts their self-esteem by providing for their family while improving the lives of girls in their communities. By increasing the supply of sanitary products available, more girls won't have to miss or drop out of school, enabling them to reach their fullest potential.

How it All Started

The idea for this charity was sparked by a group of students. These students were so inspired when they learned about girls in developing countries missing school because of their periods, they set out on a mission that could not be stopped. They raised $55,000 through two Kickstarter campaigns and helped launch a microeconomy in a small Indian village. This compassion and conviction for change sparked a movement and established a charitable program with global reach.

In addition to all this, these students also partnered with a grassroots organization and created a short documentary. Which then went on to win an academy award. We implore you to check out the full documentary here, Period. End of Sentence.

How You Can Help

You might be thinking, 'that's all good and well, but how am I going to help… during a pandemic?' That's a great question. We're so glad you asked! There are many different ways you can support this charity, and while cash donations are always nice, that isn't the only way you can help.

Volunteer to Educate

Sign up today to become a Pad Project Ambassador. A Pad Project Ambassador is a local community leader that helps organize events to educate, fundraise, collect charitable donations, and destigmatize female menstruation. The more we talk about the problem and normalize talking about our periods, the more community support we can garner.

Becoming a Pad Project Ambassador is a great way to make female connections in your area too! Form a girl gang - support and empower women in your hometown.

Note, this program requires a year-long commitment, and it's open to women of all ages! So get out there today, submit your application to become an ambassador, and host a virtual girls night to watch a phenomenal documentary.

Advocate For Your Rights

This option is not solely related to the Pad Project, but it's a great way to get involved. Did you know that most U.S. states charge taxes on tampons because they're considered luxury goods?

Pretty disgusting, right? Well, this is where we come in. It's time to get involved with your local government and advocate for the rights of women. Do we actually need to be paying taxes on these goods? Or better yet, shouldn't these products be easily accessible and free? What about homeless shelters and orphanages in your area? Do they have access to sanitary products that are a necessity for any woman? Think about your community and the other women in the world that live with less.

Whatever your stance is on this issue, it's time to speak up and have your voice be heard. After you finish reading this article, head over to the Tax-Free Tampon site to sign up for the Tampon Tax Protest. Let's rally together and show we have strength in numbers. By petitioning in numbers, we can show our government tampons and pads should be easier and cheaper to obtain on a national and global level.

Work Together For Good

Know a community that could use a pad machine? Got business connections that can partner with The Pad Project to sponsor the implementation of a pad machine? Collaborate with the team to make a massive impact on a community and change women's and girls' lives worldwide.

We know this one might be a long shot, but it doesn't hurt to ask, right?

Donate For Change

Finally, if volunteering and lobbying aren't your thing, we urge you to make a donation today. The best part about this is you can choose what you want your money to go towards. And you can write it off on your annual taxes - in Canada and the U.S. Especially during a global pandemic, charitable organizations like The Pad Project desperately need your support. Any amount, big or small, makes a difference.

If donating money just isn't in the cards for you today, consider purchasing a Lucky Feather Bracelet as a gift for a friend (or yourself) and know $5 of every purchase goes to The Pad Project.

Oh, and one more thing before you go! If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can make a difference while you shop! Head over to this link before you check out next time and update your Amazon Smile charity to The Pad Project, and they'll receive 0.5% of the purchase price as a donation.

There are many ways to give back, and we hope you decide to join us in the fight to empower women across the world.