The Partnership
Having a period should never compromise your education or career.
Natracare hold this belief firmly but unfortunately for people without access to sustainable period care, this isn’t a reality. It’s estimated that 500 million people live in period poverty without access to period products or private, hygienic places to change their period products during menstruation.
When people with periods lack access to adequate menstrual hygiene, they may be forced to miss days of school or work, eating into their education, career progression, and opportunities every single month.
This is why Just a Drop and Natracare have been partnering to support young people with access to period products and education. So far, the partnership has seen Natracare support 8 safe water and sanitation projects, which by the end of 2025, will see them support 2,928 people.
Just a Drop works with schools and self help groups in Uganda, Kenya, Zambia Nicaragua, Cambodia and India to provide adequate water and private, clean changing facilities, as well as educating students about period care and puberty.
We also provide sustainable and reusable period products to students and teach them how to make reusable pads themselves. Understanding your body and having the facilities to take care of your period with dignity is essential for empowering women throughout their education and lifetime. It ensures that people with periods have as equal opportunities to learn as their peers who don’t menstruate.
In 2025, Natracare are supporting a pioneering programme in Cambodia. In Siem Reap Province, girls are missing school every day because they do not have access to information, materials and infrastructure to support them when they are on their periods. Cultural taboos, myths and lack of education mean that women and girls are marginalised and discouraged to attend school or work whilst on their periods. They are often unable to contribute at all to community life and are shielded from public view. This is particularly the case with rural communities and children who live with low-income families.
Inadequate school facilities and infrastructure further exacerbate the issue. Without access to menstrual products, latrines, changing rooms and shower facilities, girls face a lack of privacy – creating further reason to miss school.
Poor menstrual hygiene management increases the gender divide and keeps women and girls stuck in a cycle of drudgery and poverty.
We are working with Natracare to change the situation across three schools by building latrines and running menstrual health training made up of:
- Run a sewing workshop to make reusable pads
- Provide Menstrual Health Information and Education by training not just the students but also teachers and parents
- Run Menstrual Health advocacy and sustainability workshops with School Management, Village Committee, Commune staff and Commune Council.
It is a truly unique and transformational project that will support children in Cambodia for years to come. We look forward to bringing you an update soon.
