Sewing Group Aids Women and Girls in Period Poverty
Members of a sewing group in Shropshire are applying their skills to assist women and girls experiencing period poverty.
Debi Angell, a member of the group from Clun, explained that the initiative began after they crafted protective clothing during the coronavirus pandemic and sought a new project to undertake afterwards.
They now produce period kit bags. Angell remarked:
"I'd never thought about how other people manage periods."
She added,
"We've got massive choice in supermarkets we just go and buy what we want, but still in so many places there are women and children who have nothing."
The kits include an over-the-shoulder bag containing pads designed to fit inside a waterproof shield, which then goes inside the underwear, along with a flannel, soap, and an additional bag for used pads.
Some of the materials used are donated, while the group covers the cost of the remainder themselves.
The kit concept was originally developed by the international charity Days for Girls, which prepares and distributes sustainable menstrual health solutions to girls worldwide.
Angell stated that the bags provide:
"everything a girl needs to manage her periods for three or more years".
She emphasized the importance of the kits, noting that without them many women and children would remain at home, unable to attend school or work.
The project's goal is to help women reclaim lost days, as Angell described:
"regaining lost days for women,"
she said.
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