A few words on the impact we are making

Our Impact

The Problem

Period Poverty

Period poverty is defined as a lack of access to menstrual products, hygiene facilities, waste management, and education according to the Global Health Journal. Period Poverty affects these women and young girls mentally and physically.

They fear embarrassment and thus isolate themselves while on their period affecting their confidence greatly. They miss out on various opportunities, and on their education as they fail to attend school and participate in sports or other extracurricular activities. The average girl misses 7 days a month of school which equates to 3 months. In South Africa alone, seven million menstruators miss school, university, or work due to period poverty every month according to Bathabile Dlamini, South Africa’s Minister for Women.

Girls as young as 12 years of age turn to transactional sex to meet their menstrual hygiene product needs resulting in an unwanted pregnancy and at times HIV/ AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases.

Alternative Menstrual Measures

Girls and women that don’t have access to menstrual products seek out alternatives which usually result in little to no protection, embarrassing odour, leaking of menstrual blood, and severe infections.

Tampons and sanitary pads are short-term, costly solutions. The few women and young girls that do have access to a limited number of tampons and sanitary pads, use these single-use period solutions that should be changed regularly, for an extended period of time which results in Toxic Shock Syndrome.

Further studies have discovered harmful chemicals in some menstrual solutions which include levels of glyphosate, chlorine, dioxin, and various other endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), potential carcinogens, and toxic chemicals. Traces of organochlorine pesticides and pyrethroids were also found in tampons.

Alternative Menstrual Measures

Alternative menstrual provisions include:

Tissue & Toilet Paper

Old, Used Rags

Cotton Wool

Old, used sponges

Old clothing Items

Tampons

News Paper & Paper

Sanitary Pads

SIDE BY SIDE COMPARATIVE WITH IMAGES (Hover Over Images Below)

Tampons

11 000- 17 000 required in a lifetime by one individual which is equivalent to 200kg of waste.
Contains 6% plastic
Studies have proven that some brands contain harmful chemicals causing hormone and PH imbalances, and carcinogens.
Single use – must be disposed of every 4-8 hours in a day.

Sanitary Pads

11 000- 17 000 required in a lifetime by one individual which is equivalent to 200kg of waste.
Contains 90% plastic
Studies have proven that some brands contain harmful chemicals causing hormone and PH imbalances, and carcinogens.
Single use – must be disposed of every 4-8 hours in a day

The Shepowher Menstrual Cup

4 – 6 menstrual cups required in the lifetime by one individual which is equivalent to 80g of waste.
100% Medical-grade Silicon
Free from harmful chemicals, antibacterial, hypo-allergenic, and biocompatible with the human body.
Each menstrual cup has s 10 years lifespan. It must be emptied, rinsed, and reinserted every 12 hours in a day.

The Solution

The She PowHer Foundation actively travels to educate menstruating women and young girls on menstrual hygiene and provides each girl with a 10-year menstrual solution, the She PowHer Menstrual Cup.

The She PowHer Menstrual Cup

Each menstrual cup is manufactured in a world-class, medical facility in a sterile, air-filtered environment in South Africa.
A 5-point quality check ensures the quality and safety of each cup.
Every menstrual cup is made from medical-grade silicone which is an antibacterial, hyper-allergenic, and biocompatible material that is compatible with the body’s living cells, tissues, and systems.
The lifespan of each cup is 10 years, thus every cup provided is a 10-year menstrual solution.
The menstrual cup only requires one glass of boiling to sterilise before reusing the cup.

The She PowHer Menstrual Cups contain:

The She Powher Menstrual Cups distributed are recognised and certified by the following organisations and institutes and regulatory bodies:

ISO 9001

ISO 13485

GLP

AAALAC-certified Medical Laboratory

SAHPRA Licensed

Halaal Foundation of South Africa

The Environmental Effects

THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

Producing sanitary pads and tampons is carbon intensive. The annual use of sanitary products leaves a carbon footprint of 5.3kg of CO₂ equivalents per person annually in the cultivation of materials, processing, distribution, and their eventual disposal. (Harvard: 2016)

Menstrual products can take up to 500 years to break down in a landfill. Sanitary pads and tampons release harmful chemicals as they decompose which leach into the soil and various water sources, and break down into microplastics.

Harmful chemicals bad for the user, and environment have been found in the finished product which includes levels of glyphosate, chlorine, dioxin, and various other endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), potential carcinogens, and toxic chemicals. Traces of organochlorine pesticides and pyrethroids were also found in tampons.

The use of Sanitary Pads and Tampons disposable menstrual products is a huge source of single-use plastic packaging that is contributing to the endangerment of the environment, and terrestrial and marine creatures.

In South Africa alone, approximately 16 million South Africans who experience regular menstrual cycles, (aged 15-49), generate an estimated 52.4 million kilograms of sanitary product waste, destined for landfills and sewer systems annually. Plastic in a pad is mostly the back strip where the glue is placed as well as the plastic tampon applicators. These are made from low-density polyethylene and are particularly damaging to the planet as they require high amounts of fossil fuels to make. 7 000 to 29 000 litres of water are required to grow one kilogram of cotton used in tampons.

UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The She PowHer Foundation satisfies the following United Nations sustainable development goals:

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