Plan International found in 2022 that one in four British menstruators were struggling to afford period products, and so are living in period poverty.

A person is living in period poverty when they have limited access to period products, be it via financial constraints, lack of education, or because of shame, stigma and taboo. But why should you care that someone is living in period poverty? To a lot of non-menstruators, the answer is simple: buy cheaper menstrual products or use toilet paper. It’s not as simple as this, often the cheapest flimsy menstrual products are too thin to hold blood for extended periods of time and so leak, and can be irritating on the skin. Using toilet paper can cause painful chafing between the legs, can move around and also leak, and cause infections.

Charities like Freedom4Girls that help provide free menstrual products exist, but the 2022 Plan International report also found that 44% of menstruators do not know where to go to receive free menstrual products. Opening dialogues about periods are so important as this means breaking down the shame and stigma that prevents people from finding out where they can get help from, and realise that they’re not alone.

When people can’t afford period products, they’re forced to isolate themselves at home as they are too ashamed if blood leaks through their clothes in public. This means missing a few days of work or school a month, and often affects those already living in poverty. Not until these menstruators are able to reach support for their periods does this mean they can live their daily lives.

However, these period products have to be easily accessible. Period poverty amongst young people has not been solved by schools providing free period products, as often they’re hidden away with students too afraid to ask for the­m. Children who know their families are struggling won’t ask parents to buy pads and tampons. Without pads at home, children can’t go to school to receive products in the first place, for fear of bleeding through their school uniforms.

A small charity with limited resources like ours can only make so much of a difference, but we’ve already seen the huge impact providing free period products can have in changing a life. If you would like to help, please consider a donation to our charity.

If you can’t afford a donation right now, you can find more opportunities to help our charity here.