Getting your period is just one of those things.

But for women across the world, menstruating is a seriously different experience.

On any given day 800 million women in the world have their period[1] and globally, 2.3 billion people lack basic sanitation services[2].

To date, The Cova Project has delivered over 6,420 menstrual cups and education to women across Africa enabling them to continue on with life as usual when Aunt Flow comes knocking. This Menstrual Hygiene Day, the non-for-profit’s founder GD Anderson wants you to stay woke.

“For me, periods are a chore, an annoyance or a pain but that’s only because I’m equipped with everything I could possibly need to manage it,” she said. “I schedule it, taking a little red pill and telling my body, okay, whenever you’re ready. I open a drawer of pads and tampons in every shape and size and select the one purposed for day one. Then, I open the microwave and pull out a heat pack that is ready to soothe my body and whisper sweet nothings to my poor uterus.”

But that’s getting your period in Sydney, where solutions are abundant and, generally, menstruation is recognised as challenging.

This is not the case in most of the world.

"The global burden of menstruation is much greater than most of us realise,” GD explained. “It affects girls at a critical time in their lives, impacting their education and self-confidence.

The ripple effect is huge

“Girls in developing communities often drop out of school entirely because they are unequipped to manage menstruation. Not receiving a full education commonly leads to a diminished feeling of self worth and entering into marriage and motherhood at a younger age.

“The ripple effect is huge.”

Through teaming up with Flowcup and passionate local partners, The Cova Project has coordinated seminars with vital menstrual hygiene information for women in Liberia, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda resulting in empowering women with the knowledge to have a healthy period for the rest of their lives.

“We know educating girls is good for developing economies and improving socio economic growth and we know educated women are more likely to enter political discussions and having women in government reduces corruption,” GD said.

“These cups are tools we provide to keep girls in school and reduce absenteeism.

“We’ve seen the instant improvement in confidence from girls who now feel confident attending school without facing monthly humiliation.

“We know it works.”

For the same price as a drunk Saturday night’s UberEats The Cova Project can buy, package and send a menstrual cup to a woman in Liberia, Ghana, Malawi or Uganda. This cup gives her up to ten years of safe sanitary care and for young girls it allows them to attend school for an additional 50 days they would otherwise miss out on.

“Regardless of whether a girl is at school or work, she deserves the right to walk outside while menstruating without being humiliated and belittled,” GD said.

“She deserves to feel like a human being instead of some disgusting creature that should be hidden away. My hope is, one day a million girls will have access to cups.

“I might be old and grey, but I’ll be there with a gin and tonic and a big old shipping invoice from DHL.”

To find out more about The Cova Project visit thecovaproject.com/

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