Women supporting women (girls).  It is the right thing to do.

**Periods should never hold girls back.**

At LifeStraw, we believe that a period should mark progress, not pause a girl's potential.

SafiCycle, a movement run by LifeStraw, is breaking barriers, protecting health, restoring dignity, and keeping girls in school across Kenya.

This isn't just a program, it's a long-term solution for education, health, and dignity.

**The Program**

In 2023, we launched SafiCycle in Western Kenya—reaching over 1,750 adolescents with reusable menstrual underwear and comprehensive reproductive health education.

The SafiCycle Menstrual Hygiene Program aims to improve menstrual health and hygiene management for adolescent girls in rural areas. The program is designed to provide access to safe, sustainable menstrual products, education on proper menstrual hygiene practices, and break down the stigma around menstruation.​ Our goal is to empower adolescents with the knowledge and resources they need to manage their menstrual hygiene effectively, without fear or shame. We believe that by doing so, we can help improve their health, well-being, and overall quality of life.​

SafiCycle is about fostering understanding within communities. Our programming includes educating boys and men to break down stigma and promote empathy, creating a more inclusive society.

**The Challenges**

Adolescents across the globe are often unprepared for the onset of menstruation; they regularly lack materials for hygienically catching blood, facilities for changing and disposing of menstrual waste, spaces and supplies for the cleaning of reusable menstrual materials, and proper menstrual health and hygiene information and education. ​

65% of adolescent girls in Kenya cannot afford menstrual hygiene products, and often resort to using rags or other fabric or paper scraps for all their hygiene needs.​

Many schools lack proper sanitation facilities to address menstruation needs (including a safe, clean private location to change their menstrual products; a private and environmentally-friendly place to discard pads; and soap and clean water to wash hands afterwards). ​

Just 32% of rural schools in Kenya have a private place for girls to change their menstrual products.

**The Negative Impacts**

Studies from Kenya find that schoolgirls engage in transactional sex to pay for menstrual products and other basic needs. In rural Western Kenya, 2 out of 3 pad users receive pads from sexual partners. One study revealed that as many as 10% of 15-year old girls were having sex to pay for period products.

Poor menstrual hygiene can pose serious health risks, like reproductive and urinary tract infections which can result in future infertility and birth complications.

In Kenya, it is estimated that girls lose an average of 4 days of school a month due to complications managing menstruation. This costs them 165 learning days over four years of high school. ​

**The Solutions**

By providing safe, reusable menstrual hygiene panties, girls can stay in school longer, stay safe from infection, and stay out of the transactional environment of trading for period products.

By wearing the panties even when not menstruating, it minimizes the risks for ‘embarrassing’ leaks – encouraging girls to attend school even when it’s around the time of their menses. ​Reusable period panties only need to be changed every 12 hours, so one pair can last the entire school day. ​They are less conspicuous than reusable pads, so can reduce the shame and stigma of properly washing and drying the products. ​

**Your Support**

LifeStraw is on a pathway to expand SafiCycle to cover 100,000 girls in the next five years. Your contributions can help us reach this milestone.

$15 gives one girl one year of dignity through SafiCycle

$45 covers one girl, with three years of support

$450 transforms an entire classroom

$7,500 empowers an entire school

$75,000 impacts an entire school system



***100% of donated funds go toward the cost of products and distribution of supplies. Vestergaard Frandsen, Inc. (d/b/a “LifeStraw”) does not profit from your donation.***

*LifeStraw’s Safe Water Fund operates through a fiscal sponsorship with Players Philanthropy Fund, a Texas nonprofit corporation recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (Federal Tax ID: 27-6601178, ppf.org/pp). Contributions to LifeStraw’s Safe Water Fund qualify as tax-deductible.*

SafiCycle Menstrual Health Program

LifeStraw operates the Safe Water Fund, a 501(c)3 project, to support the provision of safe water where it is needed most.  

The Safe Water Fund operates as a 501(c)(3) project, supporting the implementation of long-term, sustainable safe water programs worldwide. We partner with grassroots organizations and local leaders to identify and reach communities and families most in need.

In addition to our retail-funded Give-Back program, the Safe Water Fund provides safe water during humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters. We also lead special initiatives in the cities where our employees live, including at our headquarters in Baltimore City, and participate in Giving Tuesday efforts each year.

**100% of donated funds go directly toward products and the distribution of safe water supplies. Vestergaard Frandsen, Inc. (d/b/a “LifeStraw”) does not profit from your donation.**

*The Safe Water Fund operates through a fiscal sponsorship with Players Philanthropy Fund, a Texas nonprofit recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (Federal Tax ID: 27-6601178, ppf.org/pp). Contributions to the Safe Water Fund qualify as tax-deductible.*

Your contribution helps us bring safe drinking water to more families. 

Thank you for your support!

LifeStraw Safe Water Fund

Women's Health

Join us in supporting nonprofits helping refugees.

Refugees

Discover nonprofits helping people access clean water.

Join us in supporting nonprofits helping people access clean water.

Water

Discover nonprofits working to provide housing and end homelessness.

Join us in supporting nonprofits working to provide housing and end homelessness.

Housing & Homelessness

Humans

These nonprofits are accepting donations to support wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles.

Join us in supporting nonprofits providing relief to those affected by the LA wildfires.

LA Wildfires

Health

Discover nonprofits supporting disease prevention

Join us in supporting nonprofits working on disease prevention.

Disease Prevention

1151123349

We are a nonprofit, so instead of charging fees we rely on the generosity of donors like you.

Choose a donation for Every.org

1279515062

148788709

167058366

1873740264

188270313

2052641908

2088874155

2140519340

2310049938

2551237796

2594001433

2883383521

2899462032

316638097

3221010034

3323783059

3381177838

338811242

3705164611

3842241318

3934974605

4167807122

506613571

1287028958

1858760411

2104603717

2729980760

2939442496

3440869557

671754822

87081813

99361

1014384873

1112422858

153399038

2028390811

220342792

2266630408

2519810400

2539558839

2826465835

2843798242

2898624300

3259439560

339774024

3642494300

3902459442

4250940449

472232120

585491400

641510716

91682487

LifeStraw Safe Water Fund

Join Karen A to support LifeStraw Safe Water Fund

Join Karen A to support LifeStraw Safe Water Fund

LifeStraw Safe Water Fund

Donors

Become a supporter!

Become a supporter!

Turn this donation into a movement

LifeStraw Safe Water Fund

.css-y50z3g{display:inline-block;--textSize:1.25rem;--lineHeight:1.5rem;line-height:var(--lineHeight);font-size:var(--textSize);width:100%;}LifeStraw Safe Water Fund

Join Karen A to support LifeStraw Safe Water Fund

Join Karen A to support LifeStraw Safe Water Fund

LifeStraw Safe Water Fund

Donors

Become a supporter!

Become a supporter!

Turn this donation into a movement

LifeStraw Safe Water Fund

LifeStraw Safe Water Fund