In a poor household, a teenage girl gets her period and realises she has nothing to use to stop the flow and prevent staining her clothes. Her school is an hour away. She stays home, again. Not because she wanted to. Because she had no choice.
This scene plays out across thousands of low-income homes every month. Quietly. Without complaint. Without anyone keeping track.
Menstrual health is not a standalone issue. When a girl misses school every month because of her periods, the gap isn’t just academic, it’s economic and deeply personal. Period poverty continues to affect school attendance and self-confidence. A sense of shame sets in for millions of girls.
Menstrual health in India remains one of the most under-discussed development challenges in the country. This is totally preventable.
At Befriend Life Foundation (BFL), we work every day to mitigate Period Shame and Period Poverty through our flagship Project Swasthya.
What We Did in 2025
Through Project Swasthya, BFL distributed close to 9,000 packets of compostable sanitary pads in 2025, to nearly 800 women and girls across India. EVERY MONTH.
Behind those numbers are real moments: A girl who didn’t have to miss school or a mother who could redirect that small expense elsewhere.
But sanitary pad distribution alone does not solve period poverty. It must be reliable, consistent, and responsibly implemented. Which we do through our various community-based initiatives.
Why We Use Compostable Pads
Most communities we work in, have limited or no waste management infrastructure. Conventional sanitary pads (made largely of plastics laced with forever chemicals) can take hundreds of years to decompose, leaching chemicals into the soil. Without proper disposal systems, they create an environmental burden that lingers long after distribution ends.
Hence, we chose compostable pads as a basic responsibility. Today’s menstrual health solutions should not create tomorrow’s problems.
The Quiet Cost of Stigma
Access is only half the challenge. Silence is the other half.
In many communities, even today, menstruation is still not spoken about openly at home or at school, nor anywhere. That silence carries weight: shame, anxiety, and a belief that this is something to hide.
Through community workshops and conversations, BFL also works to normalise menstrual health & hygiene as a manageable, everyday reality, not something shameful.
Distribution without dignity is just logistics. We are working towards something more lasting – Awareness and Acceptance.
What are we aiming for in 2026
A 60% increase in our reach and to support 1,500 women and girls through Project Swasthya. Also to expand our geographical reach.
As we scale, our focus stays on consistent supply, responsible product choices, and community relationships.
Menstrual health in rural India deserves sustainable solutions, not one-time drives. If you would like to support Project Swasthya or learn more about BFL’s work in menstrual hygiene, we would love to hear from you. Express your interest and reach out to us at info@befriendlife.com.