My Struggle with Period Poverty Motivated Me to Support the #OnePadAtATime Campaign
By Ellie Hassan CEO of Woven Worth
I never thought I’d talk about this publicly. Not because I’m ashamed anymore but because for a long time I thought my story didn’t matter and no-one would be very interested.
When I was 14 years old, I missed a whole week of school because I didn’t have any pads. I told my teachers I was sick, and my friends thought I just didn’t care about my GCSE’s. The truth was very different. I spent those days curled up on the floor of our council flat in pain, and I had to use socks and folded loo roll instead of pads, praying I wouldn’t bleed through.
I know my mum was doing the best she could. We barely scraped by, and every month we had to choose between food or tampons. Heating or hygiene. I quickly learned how to hide things, and not just my period, but also the sadness and shame I felt in being left behind.
I carried those feelings with me for years after, the shame, the silence and the smallness of being a girl without the basics.
However, I also carried something else with me. A quiet promise to myself that, one day, I’d build something better. It took a long time probably longer than I’d like to admit. I started my business. To begin with it was just me and a few handmade products which sold online. But I worked hard, and I grew my business and today we are a vibrant team of brilliant women who help me deliver my sustainable fashion lines. We’re female founded and proud of every challenge we’ve faced together to get to this point.
A few months ago, I came across Hey Girls and their new #OnePadAtATime campaign. Their mission is to put free period products in every school bathroom in Hertfordshire, not hidden away in drawers, not locked behind the embarrassment of asking but openly available, like toilet paper. Like they should be. I didn’t think twice. I sponsored the first school in the pilot. Because I know what it feels like to be that girl. The one sitting in class, too distracted by panic to concentrate. The one who leaves early and stops putting her hand up. The one who slowly, quietly, gives up on herself.
The campaign is about changing that story. It’s about making sure no girl must choose between her education and her dignity. It’s about showing them that they’re seen, supported and worthy, every single day of the month. So here I am, sharing my story which wasn’t easy for me. I shared because if even one business owner reads this and decides to get involved, then it was worth it.
To the brilliant, bold, busy women running businesses across Hertfordshire, let’s use our success to build something better for the next generation of girls.
Sponsor a school. Start a conversation. Be part of something that actually changes lives. Together we can help end period poverty in Hertfordshire #OnePadAtATime.
Click HERE to sponsor a school or get involved.
About the Author...
Ellie Hassan is the founder of Woven Worth, a UK-based sustainable fashion brand committed to ethical production and female empowerment. Drawing on her own experience with period poverty, Ellie champions menstrual equity through her business and advocacy work. She is a proud supporter of Hey Girls’ #OnePadAtATime campaign.