My Trip to Haiti Part 3: Poverty and Menstruation

Period. Cycle. Bloody Buddy. Or what I call, Ms. Flow, visited me during my trip to Haiti. And why would I divulge such personal information? You'll see, just keep reading.

​I was really stressed out the first day in Port au Prince because I was quite unprepared for Ms. Flow’s arrival.  But after a quick trip to the grocery store I left with  ample supply of expensive sanitary supplies.

Well, starting my cycle caused me to ask myself a very important question: If according to the World Food Programme 

1. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere
2. 2 out of 3 Haitians live on less than $2/day
3. And 50% of urban Haitians are unemployed

How are my unemployed Haitian sisters purchasing sanitary supplies for their menstrual cycle? I mean many families are struggling just to put food on the table, so what are they using?

I did not realize that by asking this question and typing in a google search on “poverty and menstruation” that I would be thrust into a the world-wide crises of menstrual management. You see girls and women around the world are struggling with managing their menstrual cycle.

​Some are using old cloths, leaves, wool, feathers, foam, sand, corn husk….anything they can think of to help absorb blood when modern pads are not available or affordable.

Let’s just stop here and imagine the mess of leakage from using sand and feathers! If that’s not terrible enough,  my research led me to finding out that some girls are actually selling their bodies in order to purchase pads so that they can stay in school or go to work. This is inconceivable and yet it is happening in the year 2016! 

​I never imagined it was such a problem and that there are organizations assisting women around the globe with this very issue. So as a result of Ms. Flow showing up uninvited during my trip to Haiti I am seeking out ways to help my sisters.

I want to know how I can assist in helping them get access to affordable sanitary napkins and possibly do some micro-financing so that they can earn income from the  endeavor. Right now I’m just in the research phase but I’d encourage you to join me by doing one or all of the following:

1. Educate yourself on the issue. Check out my Poverty and Menstruation Pinterest Board 
2. Throw a sewing party and make some reusable pads for women in other countries.  Watch this video for more information:

3. Purchase sanitary pads or cups from organizations (Days for Girls , AfriPads , BeGirl . Ruby Cup ) who are supporting  our sisters living in poverty.

4. Every time Ms. Flow shows up, say a prayer for your sisters around the world who are struggling with menstrual management. We need to stick together. Period.