Pad for Pad
Passing on the power of informed choice
What is our Pad for Pad programme?
Pad for Pad is our menstrual health education and free cloth pad distribution programme for adolescent girls (10 – 19 years) from low-income backgrounds.
This programme is funded by donors as well as international purchases making every international customer a donor! It’s an idea we like to call Eco-Sisterhood.
Customers in India can also choose to add a donation when they purchase pads on our online shop.
As of October 2023, over 80,000 girls have been beneficiaries of this program since it began in 2012 and over 320,000 pads have been freely distributed along with an impactful menstrual educational class.
Yearly progress 2023/2024
girls reached
target girls to be reached
pads distributed
Rs donations
What’s in a kit?
Pad for Pad Kit: 4 Eco Femme cloth pads, a travel/storage pouch, a product care instruction leaflet, and a booklet on the basics of menstruation and cycle self-care (this material is available in many local languages).
Each cloth pad is made from organically certified cotton, is leakproof, and can last at least 3 years providing a long-term solution that is safe and effective
To learn more about the efficacy of cloth pads and acceptance among adolescent girls click here.
* Colour and pattern of pads and pouch may vary from that shown in the image.
Why support our Pad for Pad programme?
In India and many places around the world, menstruation is not a topic openly talked about. This culture of silence can have harmful, and avoidable, consequences. We created Pad for Pad to replace silence with conversations that normalise periods and empower girls to manage their periods hygienically with safe, non-polluting products that last for years.
In India:
- 52% of adolescent girls are unaware of menstruation prior to menarche
- 45% of girls do not consider menstruation normal
- 77% of girls are restricted from visiting places of worship while
- 24% of girls sit separately from family members during menstruation
Adapted from: Van Eijk et al (2016). Menstrual hygiene management among adolescent girls in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
What happens during a Pad for Pad session?
Pad for Pad education sessions are led by either Eco Femme facilitators or through our extensive network of partners all around India.
A 3-hour standardised class is generally split into two sessions of 1.5 hours each, often conducted in classrooms or community centres. They are lively, interactive, and a lot of fun! As part of each session, girls discover and learn the pros and cons of different menstrual product options. They are offered a cloth pad kit at the end of the class as a choice – never coercion!
Pad for Pad sessions look at:
- Female Anatomy, menstruation, and the menstrual cycle
- Taking care of ourselves during menstruation (hygiene, nutrition, exercise) and natural remedies
- Menstrual product analysis to engage informed choice
- Safe spaces for speaking about menstruation
To learn more about partnership requirements, click here.
Get involved
We welcome partners, whether you are an organisation or an enthusiastic individual! We currently have over 30 partners in 15 states across India. Comprehensive training and handholding support are provided to every partner.
There is immense demand for this program and donations help us reach more girls.
A donation of Rs 550 (approximately 6.5 Euros) = 1 full cloth pad kit to 1 girl (4 cloth pads and accessories).
We take evaluation very seriously in order to measure the impact of our educational outreach work. Learn more about how this program is making a difference!
Our stories
Revisioning menstrual education – Part 1
Part 1: Setting the context for a deeper shift By Kathy Walkling, co-founder of Eco Femme. Menstruation has, over the last 15 years, gone from being virtually off the radar to becoming a focal development issue receiving significant global attention,...
Collaborating with Sharana to give menstrual education to adolescent girls and women
Written by Sharana. Sharana collaborates with Eco Femme, Auroville to create Menstrual Cycle Literacy and encourage the use of Cloth Pads among Adolescent Girls and Women In Sharana, as an organization we have never claimed to be able to do it all on our own; we are...
Menstrual health education: reflections from the field
Eco Femme Pad for Pad facilitator and trainer Nikethana, shares her reflections on giving menstrual health education sessions to girls and women around India. I have been working as a part of Eco Femme’s Pad for Pad programme for more than 2 years now as a...