Our Response
Why the Woven Initiative?
Meeting a Specific Need
The Woven Initiative is founded to meet a specific need that is otherwise overlooked by existing aid programmes.
Proven Track Record
Run by the award-winning NGO Road to Freedom, the initiative benefits from an experienced team with a proven track record of providing aid to areas in crisis.
Local Expertise
In collaboration with vetted, local humanitarian sources and a female team on the ground, the initiative meets the region-specific needs of menstruating Sudanese refugees.
The Issue
Why Menstrual Health?
Menstrual health is part of the Sustainable Development Goals and classified as a basic human right.
Stigma, poverty, and lack of access to basic services are causing menstrual health and hygiene needs to go unmet.
Girls miss school up to 5 days per month due to a lack of menstrual health products and education around it.
An educated and empowered woman contributes significantly to her family's health and the development of her community.
Context
Why Sudanese Refugees?
As of today, Sudan is the country with the most significant internal displacement crisis and the largest displacement crisis in the world.
of refugees are women and children.
of girls in Egypt were aware of periods before their first occurrence, leaving many feeling shocked and afraid.
Education about menstruation is still scarce; in Egypt, only 66% of girls were aware of periods, and those unaware often felt shocked or afraid during their first occurrence.
The Product
The SHEMSI Menstrual Underwear
$9 USD can help deliver:
- —3 washable, reusable underwear (available in 4 sizes)
Key Benefits
We give these out during seminars where an OB-GYN teaches women how to use and wash them — and answers any question they always had about their bodies that they never had the chance to ask.
Why SHEMSI?
The manufacturer for our launch has a track record of working with NGOs and has distributed 30,000 reusable underwear in 2024 alone.
- ✓Standards exceed UNICEF's requirement
- ✓Locally produced
- ✓By women for women — 70% of factory employees are underprivileged women
- ✓Established company, founded in 2021
- ✓Track record of working with NGOs
On the Ground
Distribution & Education
Each step of the distribution is created to assure a process free of delivery delays, corruption, and unnecessary fees.
Distribution is led by an all-female team on the ground and overseen by the Woven Team.
Education will take place in safe spaces with only females present.
“The Goal: Empower women and girls with access to this product so they can go to school and work while on their period, care for their children, and gain strength and dignity.”
— The Woven Initiative
Make a Difference
What Your Donation Can Provide
Menstrual underwear that lasts up to 5 years
Appropriate infrastructure to hold seminars and create safe spaces for women
Sewing machines for the many seamstresses in the community and other vital aid
Find more details on our GoFundMe and please donate as much or as little as you can! And if you can't donate, sharing and raising awareness goes a long way as well! THANK YOU.
Visit Our GoFundMe