Periods

Did you know that there is a Museum of Menstruation?

It is run by a man and is actually really interesting – educating people on things such as that most women now will have 350 periods in their lifetimes. Our female ancestors had only about 100 periods, due to constant pregnancy and breastfeeding. Today women also start their periods earlier and enter menopause later so we menstruate for longer.

I used to hate these things!

In developed countries, menstruating women (without menstrual problems that it) can live their lives normally. In developing countries women are often shunned, at risk of infection, and unable to carry on a normal life for a week or more a month. Not because of medical issues, but because they do not have access to the products we take for granted.

In many African countries, girls are unable to attend school when they have their periods because they do not have access to sanitary products. Almost 30% of girls end up dropping out of school because they miss about a week of school per month. About 8 million schoolgirls do not have access to sanitary protection.  In South Africa though, there are many projects that get these products out to many people who need them.

Here is an example

I also really admire Arunachalam Muruganantham(below), who sacrificed a great deal (family, money, social class) to bring affordable sanitary products to women in India, even testing them himself. He now empowers women by educating them on how to produce, name and market affordable sanitary protection for fellow Indian women, creating job opportunities at the same time.