Since the launch of Period! Magazine in 2014, we’ve met some wonderful women’s health and menstrual equity initiatives all over the world. For example in Kenya. There you’ll find the Heels4Pads foundation, founded by social entrepreneur and menstrual health advocate Monicah Muhoya. In case her name sounds familiar for readers outside Africa: you might have read one of her reports on Period! Magazine. For example about her goals with Heels4Pads. Or about the premiere of the film Impure in Nairobi.
An innovative exchange program
In Kenya, 65% of women face the harsh reality of period poverty. They struggle to afford basic menstrual products, resorting to makeshift solutions like rags, old or even tissue paper. This silent crisis forces 42% of schoolgirls to miss school during their periods, robbing them of their education and potential. ‘Heels4Pads is rewriting this narrative of shame and stigma. We believe that every girl deserves to walk confidently into her future, unburdened by the lack of menstrual products. The Heels4Pads Foundation is at the forefront of combating period poverty in Kenya. By mobilising high heel donations (yes, you read this correctly), they provide sanitary pads to those in need, ensuring that menstruation is no longer a barrier to education and opportunity. This innovative exchange program turns the tide on period poverty, one heel at a time.
Adopt a Pad Dispenser Project & Let’s talk Puberty
Heels4Pads has recently launched five new pad dispensers in Kenya, affectionately called ‘Pad ATMs’. These dispensers provide girls with easy access to menstrual pads, significantly improving their ability to attend school confidently and manage their menstrual health with dignity. In addition to the Adopt a Pad Dispenser Project, the organisation has developed the educational book ‘Let’s talk Puberty’ that’s being distributed to girls. This resource, which offers comprehensive information about menstrual health, hygiene practices, and body positivity, has been instrumental in empowering young women with knowledge and tools to navigate puberty comfortably. ‘These are just a few examples from initiatives that are part of our ongoing efforts to combat period poverty and break down the barriers that prevent girls from reaching their full potential,’ says Muhoya.
More about her work? Visit the website via Sister Speaks or check out Heels4pads.org/.
More about period poverty? Look here.
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Period! is an independent, online magazine about all aspects of menstruation. Period! is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. If you’re suffering from medical complaints, always visit your doctor or GP. Editorial articles can contain affiliate links. Sponsored collaborations can be found in the category Spotlight. Do you have any questions? Check our Contact page.
