OUR MODEL
Girls receive support today, while women build systems that sustain dignity tomorrow.
We combine immediate access to reusable menstrual products with long-term investments in education, sanitation, income and community support, creating an environment where girls and women are empowered at school, at home and in their communities.
WHY PERIOD POVERTY?
Period poverty happens when menstruation meets poverty, unsafe sanitation and limited opportunity.
A period should not prevent a girl from learning, working, moving freely, or participating in daily life. But for 80% of girls and women in Burundi, managing menstruation means navigating financial hardship, unsafe sanitation, limited health access, and social vulnerability, every single month.
A girl may receive sanitary products, but still lack privacy at school, clean water, healthcare, income or support at home. A woman may be discouraged from participating in certain activities, handling food, attending social gatherings, or carrying out daily responsibilities while menstruating. These beliefs can lead to isolation, shame, missed opportunities, and reduced participation in school, work, and community life.
"The way you talk about menstruation now is different from how people used to talk about it. Before, especially with boys, it was taboo. I remember people saying that you should not take communion when you're on your perdiod. It made menstruation feel shameful, and that mentality was still present among students. Now, I see a difference among both girls and boys. When we teach them, we ask: “Why are you learning this?” The boys tell us, “Because we are future fathers. We will know what to tell our children, or our sisters, and our wives."
Josiane
Teacher at a partner school in Ngozi
Period poverty sits at the intersection of multiple global development goals, because it affects how girls and women live, learn, work and participate fully in society.
OUR SOLUTION
An integrated approach to eliminate period poverty
Our model supports girls and women at different stages of life and in different environments: at school, at home, and in their communities.
In schools, girls receive menstrual health education, support from educators and peers, safer sanitation spaces and free reusable pads.
In households, women strengthen reproductive health knowledge, household sanitation, financial stability, and long-term access to menstrual products.
Where we work
We are committed to scaling deep as well as wide. Through 2027, our integrated model will support +5,000 girls and women across all provinces, working closely with communities to strengthen the knowledge, systems, and opportunities needed to eliminate period poverty over the long term.
girls have received free Agateka reusable pads
+8,000
women's small businesses have been launched with program support
+6,000
girls use the OKY-Burundi period-tracking app
+400
women have graduated from our vocational training program
WHAT SETS US APART
Lasting changes requires more than one solution
Girls and women experience menstruation within the realities of school, family life, health, work, and community. Our model reflects that reality by bringing together complementary interventions that reinforce one another and create lasting impact.
Education alone is not enough if girls and women lack products, safe sanitation or financial stability.
Our work is rooted in long-term solutions for schools, families and communities.
Girls receive products today while women build the income and systems needed to sustain menstrual dignity tomorrow.
From reusable pad production to educator and community health worker training, our model strengthens local knowledge, skills and ownership.
By producing sanitary products locally, we strengthen community ownership, create employement opportunities, and build more sustainable access over time.
