What is Period Poverty?

Hey there club leaders! Kaitlyn here with a February Global Citizenship blog update for you! Below you’ll find links to presentations, videos, and information about period poverty, as well as how your club can partner with Far Away Friends to fight period poverty locally and globally!

What is Period Poverty?

You can click this link to access a presentation to show your club and learn more together about Period Poverty around the world!

Here are some of the basic facts:

1. 500 million people lack access to menstrual products and hygiene facilities.

2. 16.9 million people who menstruate in the US are living in poverty.

3. Two-thirds of the 16.9 million low-income women in the US could not afford menstrual products in the past year, with a half of this needing to choose between menstrual products and food.

4. 14.2 % of college menstruating people in the US had experienced period poverty in the past year.

5. 10% of menstruating college students experience this monthly.2

6. Tax on menstrual products in the US ranged from 4.7% to 10% in 2019.

(source: https://www.joghr.org/article/32436-period-poverty-why-it-should-be-everybody-s-business)

How does Period Poverty affect girls around the world?

Club Activity

Watch the documentary “The Menstrual Gap” (linked above) and answer the following discussion questions as a club.

1. Why do you think there is such a stigma around menstruation/periods around the world?

2. According to the documentary, what are some of the reasons that accessing period products is so difficult in developing countries?

3. How does not having access to period products affect the trajectory or outcomes of a girl’s life?

How can your club make a difference?

In the month of February, Far Away Friends runs our Market Day Fund campaign, where we work to supply students with everything they need to have a successful school year! This also includes providing girls with reusable sanitary pad kits that last them one year, so they don’t have to worry about managing their periods and can focus on staying in school! Your club can host creative, even Valentine’s Day-themed fundraisers to raise money for girls at your sister school to have access to AfriPads!

Here are some fundraising ideas to help kickstart your February!

1. Candy or Flower Grams: Set up a table and have students purchase candy, notes, and/or flowers to be delivered during classes on Valentine’s Day! Let everyone who participates know proceeds are going to fighting period poverty in Northern Uganda!

2. Period Product Drive: You can collect donated period products throughout the month of February to give to local women’s or homeless shelters AND encourage members of your school community to donate to this link to provide AdriPads to girls in Uganda! This way you’re addressing period poverty locally and globally!

3. Raise Awareness: Have members of your club make Valentine’s cards or posters educating your community about period poverty! These can be hung up around the school (with approval of course!) as a fun way to keep your community in the know about the challenges girls at your sister school are facing.