In 2017, The Pad Project began working with Action India, a grassroots, community-based organization founded in 1976 in the midst of the Autonomous Women’s Movement in India, to identify a community of women who wanted a pad machine in their village. As seen in the film Period. End of Sentence.,The Pad Project helped Action India purchase and install a manual pad machine in the village of Kathikhera. Today, Action India holds more than 100 total workshops per month, covering three different locations, and reaches over 5,000 women directly or indirectly by their Menstrual Health Management (MHM) initiatives.

AMOR is a non-profit organization that operates Afshar Hospital and ten community clinics in Kabul, Afghanistan. Afshar Hospital works to improve the overall health of women in the local community by promoting best practices with regards to sexual and reproductive health, sanitation and hygiene, and special prenatal care. Due to a demand for 15,000 to 20,000 pads per month, the hospital requested to partner with The Pad Project to install a semi-automated pad machine within the hospital premises. Afshar Hospital will provide space, electricity, and storage for the pad machine in a secure environment, and they will employ 3 to 4 women to operate the machine.

With 45 years of experience, the CSUN Women’s Research and Resource Center (WRRC) is the oldest women’s center in the Cal State system. Their goal is to enhance campus and community understanding of gender issues and concerns and to ensure that students at CSUN have their basic needs met. In Fall 2016, the WRRC launched their campus’s first Food and Toiletry Pantry, and within the first 3 months, they had 103 visits. The pantry is now averaging 120-160 visits per month, and the demand is only growing. Last fall, the WRRC launched a Menstrual Care Initiative, but currently they are only able to offer students 5 pads or tampons per visit per week. To help meet the needs of students, The Pad Project has provided a grant to the WRRC to purchase pads, liners, tampons, and menstrual cups, which will be distributed to students on campus free of charge. This partnership between The Pad Project and the WRRC will work to promote menstrual equity among CSUN students and to break the stigma surrounding menstruation.

As of November 2019, The Pad Project has partnered with The Desai Foundation to help expand their Asani Sanitary Napkin Program to the Nanded District of Maharashtra. Our funding will support a portion of the funds required to purchase the new semi-automated machine, which will produce retail quality sanitary napkins. The machine will produce 5,000 pads per day, improving the health and livelihood of thousands who live in the region.

The EcoHub Small Industries is a social enterprise working in more than 50 villages in the north-eastern states of Assam and Nagaland, India to produce sanitary napkins. The Pad Project has partnered with EcoHub to help grow their program by providing them with a manual pad machine. EcoHub aims to reach 2,000 women through the 5 villages they serve in the state of Nagaland. Additionally, EcoHub will conduct health check-ups and set up health awareness camps to improve menstrual and reproductive health.

Pencils of Promise (PoP) is a 501(c)3 for-purpose organization that believes every child should have access to quality education. They build schools, programs, and global communities around the common goal of education for all. PoP partners with local communities and governments to achieve quality education through building and repairing schools, supporting teachers with literacy training, and providing innovative resources and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programming.

The Pad Project has partnered with PoP to implement a reusable cloth pad-making program in the Zona Reina region of Guatemala. The project will teach PoP staff and local teachers how to make reusable pads with cloth and sewing kits. Teachers will then work with their students, both boys and girls, to create reusable pads. Students will be able to create their own pads, which will help them manage their periods.

The project will serve an estimate of 600 students in two schools and provide training to them, as well as 30 teachers, on how to use the reusable pads. Our collective goal is that this reusable cloth pad-making program will expand to different schools in the community and create sustainable social change by increasing access to menstrual hygiene products.

Photography by Nick Onken

Sierra Leone Rising is an organization dedicated to fostering quality education, supporting girls’ empowerment, and ensuring public health in Sierra Leone. In 2017, Sierra Leone Rising conducted a survey which revealed that 24% of girls were absent from schools within Bumpe Ngao Chiefdom because of inconveniences during their menstrual periods. The Pad Project has partnered with Sierra Leone Rising to provide reusable sanitary pads for 250 women, training for self-stitching skills, and educational workshops on menstrual management hosted by Sierra Leone Rising.

Ahadi Reusable Pads is a social enterprise located in Kenya whose mission is to increase women’s dignity, improve girls’ self-esteem and comfort, provide affordable and long-lasting period protection, and give high quality pads to women and girls. In Kiswahili, “Ahadi” means “promise,” and it’s Ahadi’s promise that women and girls will fulfill their destiny by maximizing their potential through education. The Pad Project and This is L. have provided a grant to Ahadi to expand their washable pad program and run menstrual hygiene management (MHM) workshops. In the first year, the program will employ 8 women, serve 300 women and girls from 7 schools, and provide 3 MHM workshops.

The Arka Initiative, located in Sri Lanka, provides tangible and practical support to men, women, and young people on issues pertaining to sexual and reproductive health. Arka works at an institutional and grassroots level to distribute reusable pads to underserved women in rural communities, provide comprehensive sex education to children and young people, create safe spaces for conversation, and act as a catalyst for increased menstrual health management (MHM) in communities. One workshop attendee said, “We corrected many misconceptions… Truly we haven't spoken so openly before. I feel happy and now I feel like we can even educate others.” The Pad Project and This is L. have provided a grant to Arka to run MHM workshops and to place a semi-automated pad machine in Pareigama, Sri Lanka. The semi-automated pad machine will employ 9 women and 1 supervisor and provide pads for 1,500 to 2,000 women and girls in the first year. The program will also include 12 MHM workshops in local schools, maternity clinics, and other local government institutions, with 150 to 200 women per session.

Days for Girls International is an award-winning NGO that works to shatter stigma and limitations associated with menstruation for improved health, education, and livelihoods. Through their Education & Access to Menstrual Products Strategy, Days for Girls (DfG) provides a holistic menstrual health education curriculum and increases women and girls’ access to menstrual products. Through their Policy & Advocacy Strategy, DfG educates and builds connections with national and international policymakers, coalitions, and organizations who can advance, accelerate and amplify the importance of menstrual health in improving education and livelihood outcomes for women and girls. To date, DfG has reached more than 1.7 million women and girls in 144 countries on 6 continents with quality, sustainable menstrual care solutions, and health education. The Pad Project and This is L. are providing a grant to support the distribution of 7,000 period kits and help Days for Girls International deliver 100 menstrual health education workshops in Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, and South Africa.

In Malawi, DfG has partnered with Chief Theresa Kachindamoto, a world leader in preventing early child marriage, to support the distribution of period kits and the implementation of menstrual health management workshops. All pads will be made by local enterprise leaders in Malawi. In Zimbabwe, DfG is working with local enterprise leaders to provide period kits and menstrual hygiene education to 500 girls and women. In Lebanon, local DfG leaders are distributing period kits to Lebanese and Syrian refugees to combat the recent 500% price increase in menstrual products, which have been exacerbated by COVID-19 and the Beirut explosions. In Uganda, DfG is working with local leaders to provide period kits to female prisoners who have had no access to menstrual products since COVID shut down their supply.

Desai Foundation is a nonprofit whose mission is to empower women and children through community programs to elevate health and livelihood in India and the U.S. In 2014, Desai Foundation began implementing the Asani Sanitary Napkin program to improve access to quality menstrual products and increase awareness of menstrual health management (MHM) in rural India. The program produces and distributes 1 million pads per year, and so far it has provided sanitary products and MHM workshops to over 40,000 women. The program has also provided livelihoods to over 40 women in 4 production units and to approximately 250 distributors per region. One woman says, “This project has affected [the] lives of many young girls, who now attend schools even during their menstrual cycles.” The Pad Project and This is L. have provided a grant to Desai Foundation to support pad distribution and increase MHM awareness. The goal is to promote women’s health while creating livelihood opportunities for women that allow them to play a financial role within their households.

The Inua Dada Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Nairobi, Kenya whose mission is to provide sustainable solutions that will improve the well being of the girl-child by working collaboratively with partners. They provide menstrual health management programming and basic hygiene products to girls in low-income primary schools across Kenya.

The Pad Project is partnering with the Inua Dada Foundation to place a manual pad machine in Nairobi County. The project, funded by our official period care partner This is L., aims to promote period equity by providing safe, affordable, and accessible menstrual hygiene products to women and girls. The pad machine will employ 5-6 women to produce and sell quality sanitary pads at affordable prices.

One of the women who will be working on the machine says, “It's so difficult trying to manage my menstruation. I'm 22 with an 8 month-old baby, I don't have any consistent income stream and I can barely afford food and diapers, let alone pads. Women and girls need quality and safe menstrual management materials to manage their menstrual periods with dignity and pride.”

During the first year, the project will provide sanitary menstrual products and menstrual hygiene management workshops for approximately 8,000 individuals.

Plan for the Villages - Uganda is a nonprofit located in the Lira District of Uganda whose mission is to work with communities to enhance self-sustainability, health, education, livelihoods, and social wellbeing. Their project, I Am A Girl, focuses on producing reusable sanitary pads and providing menstrual health education to help girls stay in school. Awor Cindy, a tailoring instructor at Plan for the Villages - Uganda, says, “even as a young woman, I was VERY AWARE that the game plan here was secrecy and concealment and I obediently complied. … I love using reusable sanitary pads which have turned out to [be] a key to reconnecting me with my body in a healthy and natural way.” The Pad Project and This is L. are providing a grant to Plan for the Villages - Uganda to boost production of reusable cloth pads and increase the accessibility of menstrual products in rural communities. The goal is to increase student retention and have a positive, long-term impact on girls’ livelihoods and community development. This program will serve approximately 3,000 women and girls and 12 primary schools, support 16 villages, and host 10 menstrual hygiene management workshops.

Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF) is a nonprofit in Rajasthan, India that envisions a world where every child is free, safe, healthy and educated. Their mission is to eradicate child labor and child exploitation, to engage the private sector to prioritize children in their business models, to build capacity of partners on the ground, and to advocate for the protection of children in national and international policies. The Pad Project and This is L. have provided a grant to KSCF to purchase a semi-automated pad machine and run menstrual hygiene management (MHM) workshops.This project is intended to help girls manage their periods and continue their education. The pad machine will employ 9 women and 1 supervisor, and in the first year, it will serve 1,200 girls. The program will also include 12 MHM workshops, with 100 girls in each workshop.

Sierra Leone Rising (SLR), located in Bumpe, Sierra Leone, is a nonprofit that seeks to build and maintain healthy, resourceful communities where individuals empower themselves through leadership and collaboration. SLR supports quality education, fosters girls’ and women’s empowerment, and ensures public health and safety. SLR was founded by Joseph Hindogbae Kposowa, a Barrister & Solicitor of the High Court of Sierra Leone, who is involved in collaborative global programs that foster peace, education, women’s empowerment, and public health. To further SLR’s mission, The Pad Project provided a grant in 2019 to fund the implementation of a reusable cloth pad-making program, training for self-stitching skills, and menstrual hygiene management workshops. This program produces inexpensive and environmentally friendly washable pads, allowing girls to attend school with more confidence and fewer distractions during their period. Isata George, a student in Sierra Leone, said, “before the emergence and distribution of washable pads to us, we find it difficult to go to school. … Now, we hardly miss school during our period and our uniforms no longer get stained with period blood.” In June 2020, The Pad Project partnered with This is L. to continue funding the reusable cloth pad-making program and expand its impact to reach 250 women and girls in one year.

MicroX Foundation (also known as SumArth) is a nonprofit social enterprise in Bihar, India dedicated to supporting farmers and women in their economic growth by providing 360 degree solutions for livelihood challenges and public health issues. Their mission is to ensure sustainable livelihoods for rural communities, promote enterprise-led development, and provide end-to-end support to agrarian communities. The Pad Project and This is L. have provided a grant to MicroX Foundation to purchase a manual pad machine, train women to run the enterprise, market the pads, and provide menstrual health management (MHM) education. This program is designed to increase access to menstrual products and MHM education, improve girls’ self-esteem and comfort, and create a women-owned, self-sustaining enterprise. The program will serve approximately 500 girls and women in the first year and will host 20 MHM workshops in local schools.

The Women’s Foundation Nepal (WFN) is a nonprofit dedicated to educating women on their rights, promoting gender equality, eliminating gender-biased laws, and advocating for equal gender participation in government and society. WFN provides a safe shelter for women and children and gives them medical, psychological, and legal assistance. The Pad Project and This is L. have provided a grant to WFN to purchase a manual pad machine and run menstrual hygiene management (MHM) workshops. The project will serve 300 women and girls in the first year, employ 5 women and 1 supervisor to work on the machine, and run 4 MHM workshops for a total of 100 girls.

As of April 2020, The Pad Project has partnered with Lulu Lab, a humanitarian game studio that uses educational games and quizzes to discuss taboo topics like menstrual hygiene and sexual health and rights. Lulu Lab has been acknowledged by UNESCO, recently won British Council’s global innovation challenge #IdeasChangeLives, and has more than 2 years of experience co-designing and developing digital solutions and educational games with and for vulnerable children, adolescents, religious leaders, rural communities, and NGOs. The Pad Project is partnering with Lulu Lab to create a pilot impact study of our partnership with Sierra Leone Rising. An impact study will help us assess and understand the level of impact that the reusable cloth pad-making program has made in the lives of the users - e.g. improvement in day-to-day lives, increase in school attendance, decrease in menstrual stigma.