Moon Project
The issue of menstruation across developing nations is becoming bigger and bigger. Women want to use sanitary napkins because they are seen as modern and yet the pads are produced and sold for a western economy so it is not uncommon for them to be purchased in place of food in communities of extreme poverty. Trash from disposable pads clogs pit latrines and creates large amounts of waste. Boarding schools across Uganda claim to pull out wheelbarrows full of sanitary napkins from pit latrines. Disposable pads are a burdensome cost, and there is no way to properly dispose of them.
Interestingly, studies have shown that the chlorine bleaching of pads (to make them bright white)- leads to the emission of dioxin gas when it is warmed against the skin. This gas can lead to infertility, increased risk of cervical cancer, heavy bleeding and cramping and infertility.
The moon project is a sewing collective of Child Mothers (link to article on child mothers) who are making re-usable cloth pads for use throughout Uganda. Moon pads are made with soft terry cloth with inserts for lighter or heavier days. They have ‘wings’ that button under the underwear and are cute- sewn with bright prints and are able to be folded into a little square for storage. Collectives of mothers make and sell ‘kits’- each kit includes a bucket for washing pads, five pads (three small and two large), a bar of soap and an information booklet. The kits sell for the same cost as 3 month supply of disposable pads, but will last for 2 years. The Moon Project sewing collective sells the pads to boarding schools around Uganda, and take home 100 % profit after supplies. The Moon Project is an exciting venture into a truly ‘holistic vision’ for Earth Birth, for sustainability and for women’s health in general.