OUR STORY
About Us
What we do
We provide women fleeing sexual and domestic abuse with free sanitary products on a monthly basis to meet their monthly needs
Support Women
We support BAMER (Black, Asian, mixed race, ethnic minority and refugee) community women fleeing sexual and domestic abuse in South Yorkshire (Sheffield, UK).
Love Shoe Boxes
With the help of our local Girlguiding menstrual products are packaged into "love shoe box" care packages for donation.
Monthly donations
We donate monthly care packages to provide women with ongoing support for safe and hygienic periods all year long.
Meet Our Trustees
Menstruation Matters started as a small scale social accountability project in 2018 and has since developed into a charity composed of over twenty university students and junior doctors all working together for a single purpose: to combat the harms of period poverty.
Kate Rahnejat
Founder and CEO
k.rahnejat@menstruationmatters.co.uk
I’m a post-graduate medical student, neuroscientist and researcher at the University of Sheffield. I’m passionate about advocating women’s health and rights and founded the University’s Obstetrics & Gynaecology Society, FGM Awareness Week 2018, Period Poverty Awareness Campaign 2019 and chaired our inaugural National Women’s Health Conference and Art Exhibition 2018. I conducted a study exploring menstrual poverty and management amongst sexual and domestic abuse victims from BAMER communities, and identified a group of vulnerable women with severe period poverty. I founded a nonprofit organisation, Menstruation Matters, to provide these women with monthly donations and empower them to make informed sanitary protection choices for safe and hygienic periods.
Eliza Bradley
Outreach Coordinator and Junior Director
e.bradley@menstruationmatters.co.uk
I’m a medical student at the University of Sheffield. As someone interested in women’s health, a feminist and a woman, period poverty is an issue that I am very passionate about. It has held back far too many, both in this country and globally. Having previously carried out research on the induction of puberty in girls, I have been aware of how the start of menstruation can be a very difficult time for many, even without the worries that women experiencing period poverty have to face. I am so proud to be involved with Menstruation Matters – a project that can make a real difference to women in our society.
Lucy Ryder
Events Officer and Junior Director
l.ryder@menstruationmatters.co.uk
I’m a medical student at the University of Sheffield and my interest in menstrual hygiene developed through my Intercalated International Health BSc at the University of Leeds. During which I carried out a small-scale research project in Uganda, interviewing young women about their experiences of menstrual hygiene education. This experience inspired me to take action in my local community to help alleviate period poverty through MM!
Sarah Neal
Treasurer
s.neal@menstruationmatters.co.uk
I’m a post-graduate medical student at the University of Sheffield and hope to specialise in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. As a woman, I have always been passionate about the issues surrounding women’s health. Menstruation has always been a taboo, illogically in my view, and I feel empowered to ensure that women feel able to talk about it. I also feel passionate about reducing healthcare inequalities since increasing costs of sanitary products amplify these inequalities. MM is a great organisation aiming to combat period poverty whilst decreasing the taboo surrounding menstruation, and I am very proud to be a part of it.
Salma Ghafoor
Secretary
s.ghafoor@menstruationmatters.co.uk
Anesu Matanda Mambingo
Communication Officer
a.mat.mambingo
@menstruationmatters.co.uk
I’m currently studying Digital Media and Society, but have always been passionate about taking action and being the change you want to see in the world. I joined MM because I believe menstrual care is a human right and no women should have to go without it or resort to extreme measures. One major issue that causes period poverty to prevail is the stigma surrounding periods, and I feel that my role within communications is vital in order to get the conversation started.
Our charity is a collective of amazing people striving to combat period poverty. Here's our fundraising committee:
Kuljinder Singh Janu | Fran Nolan | Katie Meadows | Ellie Lloyd | Nicole Freeman | Tanvi Dabke | Mariya Ahmed | Chelsea Agidi | Julia Adams-Nye | Belinda Achieng | Ruthiee Oyenuga