Let's Shatter the Stigma of Menstruation
At Brown Girl Woke, our mission is to end period poverty and increase the supply of affordable, reusable menstrual pads for women and girls across Samoa. Central to this vision is our Sewing Circle, a dedicated initiative supporting women—including women with disabilities—to train and teach sewing. By producing beautiful, washable sanitary pads, we ensure these vital resources can be distributed directly into communities and schools. This programme not only allows young girls the dignity and pride to remain in the classroom every month, but it also creates crucial income-generating opportunities that support the livelihoods of our makers and their families.
The Challenge :
In many rural Samoan communities, managing menstruation presents a significant and daily hardship. A lack of access to affordable female hygiene products frequently forces young girls to miss school, severely impacting their education and future prospects. Furthermore, standard disposable pads are made of up to 90% plastic, releasing vast amounts of greenhouse gases during production and posing a massive environmental challenge when it comes to safe, sustainable disposal in village environments. Compounding these issues is the broader cultural stigma surrounding menstruation, alongside a pressing need for accessible, income-generating activities for women and those living with disabilities.
Our Solutions:
We tackle period poverty through a comprehensive, community-led approach that champions both social entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability. Our safe, patent-winning reusable pad kits provide a washable, eco-friendly solution that protects our beautiful island environment while ensuring girls never have to compromise their education. Beyond the Sewing Circle's production of these pads, our programme delivers vital menstrual health education directly in the field, including specialised training for advocates to educate men and boys, which is essential for dismantling systemic stigmas. We empower local leaders by helping them establish sustainable businesses that produce and sell these kits, fostering long-term economic independence. To create lasting, systemic change, we also actively partner with governments, health coalitions, and awareness campaigns to champion policy and advocacy, advancing menstrual equity so that every young woman has the supplies and support she deserves.
Program Quick Facts
Duration
Series of workshops
Location
Around Apia
Age Group
Young females & Youth
Enquiries
Vulnerable Families Supported
Community Members Engaged
women & girls assisted
Pacific Nations Reached
Advancing Menstrual Health & Equity
Empowering women through sustainable solutions, health education, and the dignity to stay in school.
Our Reuseable Pads
Our safe, beautiful and washable solution for managing menstruation. Our Pads are delivered around the world in patent-winning Kits — along with vital health education.
Health Education
Our training is designed to help advocates deliver menstrual health education in the field, including a version for men and boys.
Entrepreneurship
We help local leaders establish sustainable businesses that produce and sell Kits, and provide health education.
Policy & Advocacy
We partner with governments, health coalitions and a wide range of awareness campaigns to advance global menstrual equity.
"This initiative has changed everything for my community. Learning to make reusable pads in the Sewing Circle hasn't just provided me with an income to support my family; it has given our local girls the dignity to stay in school all month long. The health education we received shattered so much of the stigma we used to face. I feel so empowered knowing we are protecting our beautiful island environment and looking after our young women at the same time."