Period poverty is a global community health dilemma that has long been overlooked. According to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, 130,000 teenage women from the lower income (B40) groups in Malaysia do not have access to hygiene products like sanitary pads due to financial constraints.
IOI Corporation Berhad (IOI) is collaborating with Athena Holdings Sdn Bhd, a social enterprise that sells reusable eco-friendly sanitary products, to combat period poverty in the local and indigenous communities by conducting a Menstrual Hygiene Management programme and distributing eco-friendly reusable sanitary pads.
The inaugural launching ceremony, held at Leepang A Regional Office Community Hall, Pahang on 6 July 2024, was attended by IOI Head of Corporate Communications Ms Karen Liew, Athena Holdings Founder Ms Anja Juliah Abu Bakar and around 30 Women and Empowerment Committee members from Leepang A Regional Office, Bukit Leelau Estate and nearby estates of IOI.
Under the programme, 40 young girls aged 9 to 17 years old learnt about puberty, the period cycle, the female reproductive system, and good menstrual hygiene practices to prevent infections. The girls also each received an Athena Reusable Sanitary Pad kit (containing pads of different sizes), a hygienic and sustainable alternative to disposable sanitary pads. The programme successfully fostered body positivity and encouraged them to feel more confident in themselves during menstruation.
In line with IOI’s commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, Ms Karen Liew believed that the programme would impact positively on the rural communities by empowering these young girls with valuable knowledge on women’s reproductive health care while creating a sustainable societal change in access to environmentally friendly menstrual products. We hope to unlock doors of conversation about menstruation among young girls in rural areas and build a supportive environment for menstrual health and hygiene towards building a resilient rural community.
IOI will expand the reach and impact of the programme to other rural communities nearby its estates in other regions in the next pipeline.