Atlanta doulas hold Menstrual Hygiene Day product drive to fight 'period poverty'

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A doula group is working to end 'period poverty' by helping low-income people access menstrual hygiene products.

Credit: GPB file

Menstrual Hygiene Day is May 28 and an Atlanta doula collective is hosting a menstrual supply drive for low-income homes.

Goddess Birth Sisters is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Black maternal healthcare. The collective formed in March 2021. Aura Aart is a menstrual specialist and member of the nonprofit. She said they educate people on how to best take care of themselves.

“We assist a lot of women in uncovering things like fibroids, and cysts and how to care and nurture them holistically,” Aart said. “So outside of the hospitals and just to like help people have more confidence in their, you know, reproductive health.”

On May 28th, the group is hosting a 'period prosperity' party. The goal of the event is to educate the public on menstrual hygiene and help people access menstrual products.

Aart said 'period poverty' —the inability to afford menstrual hygiene products—is something she’s been hearing about in her own community.

“[A woman] was expressing to me how difficult it was to just keep up with menstrual products in the household,” Aart said. “Even on the like, the cheapest scale, in terms of not the greatest products. And I just got to thinking, 'How many other families are there out there like this?'”

The product drive will be held at Village Skatepark on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway in Atlanta from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, including a raffle and live music performances.