About Us
Hi! We are Caroline & Carolle Kaba, twin sisters born and raised in the West African nation of Burkina Faso. (And yes, our names are twins too!) Coming of age in a country where only 26% of women report having adequate menstruation resources, we know firsthand what it is like for girls to manage their periods with limited access to supplies.
Since 2021, we have been living and attending school in the United States. In high school, we joined a local club to combat period poverty and reduce menstrual stigma. But over time, we started asking ourselves, "But what about the girls back home? How can we use our skills, passion, and opportunity to make a difference for our Burkinabe sisters, who face even bigger challenges in menstrual management?" The Period Equity Initiave was born out of our desire to positively impact the lives of girls in our home country.
We believe that all women can embrace who they are,
can define their own future and can change the world.
WHY
People often say that change begins with education. While we agree, we also believe that healthcare is the foundation that makes education possible. In Burkina Faso, one of the leading causes of girls dropping out of school is the stigma surrounding menstruation and the lack of access to sanitary products. When girls miss several days of school each month, they fall behind, lose confidence, and are more likely to leave school entirely.
We believe that giving girls an equal chance at a better future starts with removing the barriers that hold them back. By ensuring access to safe, reusable menstrual products, we help create a world where no girl’s education is interrupted simply because of her period.
Acknowledgements
We would like to sincerely thank the Pan African Sisterhood Health Initiative (PASHI) group in Philadelphia. Their guidance, patience, and kindness in teaching us how to make reusable padsand in generously sharing their patterns-have been instrumental to the launch and progress of this project.
We would also like to sincerely thank Mrs. Nadine Somda and Ms. Mariam Savadogo, leaders of the group Impact Jeune in Burkina Faso. They have generously dedicated their time to helping coordinate the collection of the necessary materials, as well as the manufacturing and distribution of the reusable pads to girls in Burkina Faso. They are also coordinating menstrual hygiene education efforts. Without their support and commitment, this project would not be possible.
