Menstrual health, sustainability, and the power of grassroots action
- Edwin Ochola
- 3 minutes ago
- 8 min read
Published on 19 May 2026 at 06:00 GMT
By Edwin Ochola
In a world increasingly shaped by economic uncertainty, climate pressures, geopolitical tensions, and widening social inequalities, NGOs and civil society organizations continue to play a critical role in responding to challenges that directly affect communities. Across many parts of the world, grassroots organizations are stepping in to address issues that go beyond policy discussions and statistics, touching directly on dignity, education, health, and opportunity.
One of those issues is menstrual health and period poverty, which continues to affect millions of girls and young women, particularly in underserved communities across the world. Beyond access to sanitary products, the conversation also raises broader questions around education, gender equality, sustainability, public health, and the role of community-led solutions in creating lasting impact.
I had a broader conversation with Dr. Aruna Mavji Varsani, Founder and CEO, Together for Better Foundation to get her perspectives on menstrual health, environmental sustainability, grassroots leadership, and the evolving role of civil society organizations in an increasingly fragmented world. Here is our Conversation.
Edwin: Dr. Varsani, take us back to the beginning. What inspired the formation of Together for Better Foundation, and what vision did you have when starting this journey?
Dr. Varsani: The inspiration came from witnessing young girls in underserved Kenyan communities missing school simply because they had no access to sanitary products. I saw their dignity compromised, their confidence shattered, and their education put at risk for something as natural as menstruation. That injustice stayed with me. In 2016, I founded Together for Better Foundation with a simple but powerful vision: a world where no girl misses school because of her period, and where communities are empowered to create their own sustainable solutions. I wanted to move beyond short-term handouts and build something rooted in dignity, education, and environmental responsibility.
Edwin: Over the past decade, your work has touched many communities across Kenya. Looking back, what impact are you most proud of, particularly in the lives of girls and young women?
Dr. Varsani: I am most proud of seeing the ripple effects. When we first entered a community, girls would hide their faces, unable to speak about menstruation. Today, through the work of Together for Better Foundation, we have reached tens of thousands of schoolgirls across multiple counties in Kenya. But numbers only tell part of the story. What moves me most is when a girl tells me she no longer fears her period, that her school attendance has improved, or that she wants to become a doctor or teacher. We have also trained local women to stitch reusable pads, creating small economic opportunities within their communities. That transformation, from shame to confidence, from dependency to self-reliance, is what I am most proud of.
Edwin: Menstrual health remains a sensitive and often overlooked issue in many societies. Why do you believe period poverty deserves greater attention within Africa's development conversations?
Dr. Varsani: Because period poverty is not a women's issue alone, it is a development issue, a health issue, an education issue, and a human dignity issue. When a girl misses up to 20% of her school year due to her period, her academic performance suffers, she falls behind, and she is more likely to drop out entirely. That affects national literacy rates, economic productivity, and gender equality. Africa cannot achieve its development goals if half its population is systematically disadvantaged by something preventable. We must bring menstrual health into mainstream conversations alongside water, sanitation, and education. It cannot remain a whispered topic in the margins.
Edwin: One of the unique aspects of your work has been the focus on reusable sanitary towels. What informed that decision, and how do reusable products compare to conventional disposable sanitary towels in terms of affordability, sustainability, and long-term impact?
Dr. Varsani: That decision came from listening to communities. Disposable pads are expensive for rural families, and they create enormous environmental waste, one user generates approximately 120 kilograms of non-biodegradable waste over five years. We chose reusable pads because a single kit lasts up to two years, costs a fraction of disposable products, and can be made locally. We even up cycle t-shirts into our pads, turning waste into wellness. In terms of long-term impact, reusable pads offer independence. We don't just distribute; we train women and girls to stitch their own. That is sustainability with dignity.
Edwin: There is increasing global concern about environmental waste and sustainability. How important is it for menstrual health solutions to also consider environmental protection and climate responsibility?
Dr. Varsani: It is essential. We cannot solve one problem by creating another. The environmental footprint of disposable sanitary products is staggering, most contain plastics that take centuries to decompose. As we face climate change and waste management crises across Africa, menstrual health solutions must be part of the solution, not the problem. That is why our up cycling model is so important. We are reducing textile waste, lowering carbon footprints, and teaching communities that environmental responsibility and menstrual health go hand in hand. A sustainable future for girls requires a sustainable planet.
Edwin: Approximately how many girls and communities has Together for Better Foundation been able to reach so far, and what have been some of the most visible changes or outcomes from this work?
Dr. Varsani: Together for Better Foundation has reached significant numbers across Kenya. To date, we have served 63,141 pad beneficiaries and distributed 363,156 sanitary pads to girls and young women in underserved communities. Beyond menstrual health, our work has also focused on education: we have reached 564,127 library beneficiaries, equipped 105 libraries, and distributed 94,358 books. We have also trained 3,351 tailoring workshop beneficiaries across 70 tailoring workshops, empowering local women with skills to stitch reusable pads and other products for their communities. Additionally, 2,340 boys have been reached through our educational programs, because we believe menstrual health is not only a women's issue, boys and men must be part of the conversation. The most visible changes from this work are increased school attendance, reduced period-related absenteeism, and a dramatic shift in community conversations. Parents now talk openly with daughters about menstruation. Teachers feel equipped to support girls. Women who completed our tailoring workshops have started small businesses, stitching and selling reusable pads. That transformation, from shame to confidence, from dependency to self-reliance, is what I am most proud of.
Edwin: Beyond providing menstrual products, what other challenges do girls in underserved communities continue to face when it comes to education, confidence, and dignity?
Dr. Varsani: The challenges are deeply interconnected. Many girls lack access to clean water and private sanitation facilities in schools, making it difficult to manage menstruation discreetly. There is often inadequate sexual and reproductive health education, leaving girls uninformed about their own bodies. Cultural stigma persists, some communities still treat menstruation as dirty or shameful, which erodes confidence. Additionally, poverty forces some families to prioritize boys' education over girls'. Without addressing these structural barriers, products alone are not enough. That is why we combine pad distribution with mentorship, career awareness, and community dialogue. Dignity is not just about a product, it is about being seen, heard, and valued.
Edwin: In many communities, conversations around menstruation are still surrounded by stigma and misinformation. What challenges have you faced in trying to change perceptions and create open dialogue?
Dr. Varsani: The challenges have been significant. In some communities, elders initially refused to allow us to speak with girls. There have been myths, that menstruation is a curse, or that reusable pads cause illness. Some men and even some women felt the topic should remain hidden. Changing perceptions requires patience, respect, and local partnerships. We engage community leaders, religious figures, and mothers first. We create safe spaces for dialogue, not confrontation. Slowly, when families see the results, girls staying in school, reduced shame, better health outcomes, resistance turns into support. It is hard work, but every open conversation plants a seed for future generations.
Edwin: Grassroots organizations often operate with limited resources despite addressing critical community needs. What are some of the major challenges Together for Better Foundation continues to face in sustaining and scaling its work?
Dr. Varsani: Like many grassroots organizations, we face funding constraints. Reaching multiple counties with a dedicated but lean team requires careful prioritization. Donor funding can be unpredictable, and many donors prefer large-scale, short-term projects over sustained, community-led work. Logistics are another challenge, reaching remote communities, especially during rainy seasons, is difficult and expensive. We also face capacity limitations: demand for our programs far exceeds our current ability to deliver. Despite these challenges, we have learned that strategic partnerships, with Kenya Red Cross and other organizations, are essential. No grassroots organization can succeed alone. We need systemic investment in local leadership, not just project-based grants.
Edwin: We are living in a time marked by economic uncertainty, shifting donor priorities, and global fragmentation. How are these global realities affecting civil society organizations working directly with vulnerable communities?
Dr. Varsani: These are very difficult times. Inflation has increased the cost of materials for reusable pads. Donors facing their own economic pressures are reducing funding or shifting priorities toward emergency response rather than long-term empowerment programs. Global fragmentation means fewer multi-country partnerships and more competition for shrinking resources. What concerns me most is that vulnerable communities,. already marginalized, are often the first not to be prioritized when times get hard. Civil society organizations are being asked to do more with less, while the needs on the ground continue to grow. This is why we must make the case that investing in grassroots, preventive solutions like menstrual health is not charity, it is cost-effective, sustainable development.
Edwin: From your perspective, what role should governments, schools, development partners, private institutions, and the media play in strengthening menstrual health awareness and supporting sustainable community-led solutions?
Dr. Varsani: Governments should integrate menstrual health into national policies, school curricula, and health budgets. Removing taxes on sanitary products is a minimum first step. Schools must provide clean water, private changing spaces, and trained teachers who can speak openly and supportively. Development partners should fund grassroots organizations directly, with flexible, long-term support rather than short-term pilot projects. Private institutions can offer corporate partnerships, funding, and employee volunteering. And the media? The media must normalize menstrual health by covering it respectfully, consistently, and without sensationalism. When every sector plays its role, sustainable change becomes possible.
Edwin: Finally, what message would you like to share with young people, policymakers, and the global community about the importance of investing in grassroots initiatives and listening to local voices?
Dr. Varsani: My message is simple: Listen to the communities you seek to help. Local voices know the problems best and hold the solutions. Too often, decisions are made in distant boardrooms without understanding local realities. To young people: You are not too young to lead. Speak up, stay curious, and know that your voice matters. To policymakers: Invest in grassroots organizations, we are cost-effective, deeply embedded, and accountable to the communities we serve. To the global community: Period poverty is solvable. It is not an impossible problem. It requires political will, modest resources, and a commitment to dignity. When you invest in a girl's menstrual health, you invest in her education, her future, her family, and her entire community. That is the best investment any of us can make.
Concluding Remarks
Dr. Varsani: As we look toward the future, I remain hopeful. Across Kenya, I have seen mothers stitch pads for their daughters; teachers become advocates, and girls who once hid in shame stand tall as leaders. The work is far from finished, but the foundation is strong. Together, governments, civil society, private sector, media, and communities, we can build a world where no girl is left behind because of her period. That is the world Together For Better Foundation is working toward, one community, one girl, one conversation at a time.”
Edwin: As social, economic, and environmental challenges become increasingly interconnected, the importance of grassroots leadership and collective action continues to grow. Civil society organizations remain essential in bridging gaps, amplifying community voices, and driving conversations that are often overlooked at higher levels of decision-making. Ultimately, meaningful and lasting progress will depend not only on policies and international commitments, but also on the willingness of societies to listen to local realities, support community-driven solutions, and create stronger collaboration between governments, institutions, media, and civil society voices across the world.
More information:
