By Pamela O'Brien | Development Director
What does sustainability have to do with menstrual health? Well, quite a lot actually. It means AEP partners with organizations like Saalt, a menstrual cup manufacturer who cares not only about the impact of their products on our young girls, but their impact on our planet. Saalt believes that people powered and equipped to live their element can change the world.
As a Certified B corporation, Saalt commits 2% of their revenue to donate to period care to regions with the most need, and help fund initiatives in menstrual health, education and sustainability. According to Saalt's Impact Report, they have prevented over 4 million tampons from ending up in our landfills and have donated over 27,000 menstrual cups to young women and girls living in marginalized areas of the world.
For many years, AEP volunteers packed their suitcases with disposable pads before arriving in Kafue for a service learning trip or volunteer mission. Our girls could not afford a pack of 10 disposable pads that cost over a dollar per pack. The pad distributions were a welcomed event! But knowing how many disposable pads ended up in the trash was always disconcerting. AEP soon found a partner in Copper Rose Zambia who taught our girls how to make their own reusable menstrual pads and whom also assisted us in our menstrual health trainings.
“The thought of me not going to use a piece of cloth for my periods anymore is overwhelming, my prayer is that many more girls get to be blessed like me today.”
Introducing menstrual cups to our girls was life-changing. Lumuno Chongo, AEP's Programs Director who also holds a degree in social work, provided in-depth health trainings to our girls in small groups and explains how the different sizes of menstrual cups are created to fit their bodies. It is not a one size for all solution. And, thanks to Saalt, AEP was provided with visual training aids that helped our girls understand the concept of menstrual cups and how they work. AEP and Saalt both agree that every time a girl chooses a reusable menstrual cup, thousands of single use period products are diverted from our landfills and oceans.
Saalt is helping AEP break the cycle of poverty in our community by providing essential menstrual health supplies to young women and girls so that they do not miss a day of school. By keeping these girls in school, educated and engaged, AEP realizes that a pathway out of poverty is created. Our holistic development program and scholarships ensure that as other needs arise, AEP is there to meet them. From tutoring in all major subjects to nutrition, leadership development and mentorship, our young leaders are made.
Want to learn more about our plans for the future? Join us on Wednesday, October 20th at 6:00 PM EDT for our virtual event: The Future in Focus. Click on the link for details.
We hope to see you soon!
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