Preventing Period Poverty

This week is the last of our Female Changemakers series for women’s history month. 

Kristin Kagestsu co-founded Saathi the brand that creates affordable sanitary pads for underprivileged in India.

“In India, only 18% of women have access to sanitary pads. A lot of the population live in rural areas and distribution is therefore very difficult. We’re looking to bring this product to these women, making sure that people understand that a sanitary pad is a necessity, not a privilege.”

As a sustainability-led brand, they are not only solving environmental challenges, through using 100% all-natural & 100% biodegradable products using new materials which are farming byproducts – banana leaf fibre (btw Saathi pads degrade 1,200x faster than conventional sanitary pads), they’re also creating social impact by providing access to those currently not able to afford sanitary products. 

It addresses the issue of period poverty as some women are limited in their mobility. Girls and women have no choice but miss days of school and work every month. Some girls have given up education completely. This directly impacts their independence and income, current and potential. 

To put that in action, Saathi provides 30% of its production at a subsidised price to NGOs committed to improving access to sanitary pads and health education for women – to help provide much wider access to the 82% of women currently without access to these key products in India. Saathi has been recognized globally by Time Magazine, Fast Company, UN Environment Program, UNIDO, Allure, Vogue and others, for its social impact, innovation and sustainability creating a positive impact on people and planet.

Thank you to Kristin & team for empowering all women to carry on with daily lives confidently and fearlessly.  

To find out more – www.saathipads.com