4 minute read
Charity Spotlight Project Period of Ocala
Back Row: Holland Ausley, Patrick Laciuga, Christina Light
Bottom Row: Sofia Ahumada, Reagan Reese
Project Period Ocala
Vanguard students work to alleviate “period poverty” and the stigma of feminine hygiene ›› BY CARLTON REESE
Walking to class, she could hear the snickers and laughter behind her – a pair of boys apparently amused by something the girl was not cognizant. Noticing the situation, a friend approached to discreetly tell her the boys were laughing at her.
A stain had developed on her pants, the result of her monthly period and she had not realized the blot was there for all to see. Her friend loaned her a sweater to tie around her waist in order to hide what nature had beset on her that morning.
Elsewhere, another girl has her period but is unable to afford the necessary hygiene products. As result, she decides against going to school altogether, instead opting to stay home and avoid whatever embarrassment would await her.
Such embarrassment, especially in the halls of a high school where teen cruelty knows no bounds and mature reactions in such a situation are still years from development, are commonplace and the cause of
Each year in the United States, people spend upward of $2 billion on menstrual products. In their lifetime, the average menstruating person uses almost 17,000 tampons or pads.
unnecessary emotional distress. At Vanguard High School, a group of students are working to minimize the stigma felt by girls over periods and create a world where those boys would react in a more sympathetic manner as opposed to at one’s expense.
They call it “Project Period Ocala” and through social media campaigns are helping to bring awareness to the stigma that goes along with one of nature’s biological functions. Along the way Project Period Ocala is also collecting feminine hygiene products to donate to local charities that can distribute them to needy women.
“Our main goal is to de-stigmatize the idea of periods,” said Sofia Ahumada, a VHS senior who helped found Project Period along with classmates Christina Light, Patrick Laciuga, Reagan Reese and Holland Ausley. “We have a lot of boys in our graduating class and we noticed a lot of them are uncomfortable with the idea of a period. We made our social media page as a way to spread awareness and de-stigmatize the whole idea, to emphasize that it’s not something that should be embarrassing and that it’s natural for everyone. I think it’s helped a lot, at least in our community.”
Project Period Ocala grew out of a former organization at Vanguard called Hygiene Helpers, which geared its efforts to general hygiene products such as shampoo, deodorant and feminine products. Project Period Ocala has taken the Hygiene Helpers
Source: Healthline.com
concept and focused mainly on the feminine hygiene aspect.
In addition to providing awareness and education, Project Period Ocala also dedicates itself to making sure that women have access to feminine products such as tampons and pads. So far, Project Period Ocala has collected and donated over $3,000 worth of feminine products that it takes to places such as Project Hope and Interfaith.
“It’s a problem in today’s society,” Ahumada said. “Some people aren’t able to purchase feminine products because it is too expensive and it’s just not readily available in places like homeless shelters. We wanted to focus on those places.”
On Project Period Ocala’s Instagram page (@projectperiodocala), one can read experiences of young girls dealing with the stigma that comes with feminine hygiene episodes. The site is also a good place for those who want to help with the problem of “period poverty” by donating relevant products to the organization. Those who wish to donate supplies can drop them off at Vanguard High School in care of Project Period Ocala at room I-203.
Project Period Ocala is a shining example of young people in the community going beyond mere statements of support for a cause but actually working to make a difference in the lives of people. Realizing the need for feminine products to reach those who cannot afford them, these kids are taking action and providing a service. In addition, they are bringing to light the stigma that many girls face when it is a problem that should never come to fruition. The goal is for those smirks to turn into sympathy, and hopefully the maturity of these kids will spread throughout those halls and eliminate that cruel stigma.
