ZanaCanada: Wealth Through Health - Erasing Period Poverty by Providing Affordable Menstrual Products to Marginalized Communities and Increasing Access to Menstrual Health Education

Institution: Carleton University

CSWB plan priority: Financial security and poverty reduction

Project Term: Winter 2024

Course Code: BUSI 4709

Professor: Sujit Sur

Group Members: Leisl Kennedy, Zarifa Lewis, Christie Eyong, Nana Afia Twum-Barimah-Adu

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Background: To enhance financial security and alleviate poverty, the project essentially seeks to provide menstruating individuals with equitable access to affordable and high-quality period products and promote comprehensive menstrual health education.

Objective(s): 

Increase menstrual product availability and accessibility. 

Educate and connect people to menstrual health resources.

Implement a buy-one-give one model to support local low-income communities.

Approach: For this project, the steps taken to find a solution to the city’s priority include ideation based on ZanaAfrica’s mandate, conducting market and macro-environment research, experimentation and piloting.

Potential for Impact: Period poverty alleviation removes the risk for reproductive health issues and  creates a better chance for peace of mind, confidence and overall well being. The project will also enhance financial security as over 80% of Canadians who can afford menstrual products find them expensive.

See group poster below: