Neitiv Red Dot Charity Project

TOGETHER WE EMPOWER! LET'S REWRITE THE NARRATIVE AROUND PERIODS. JOIN US IN THE FIGHT AGAINST PERIOD STIGMA AND MENSTRUAL POVERTY.

Neitiv Red Dot Project is striving towards an ambitious goal of eliminating period stigma and the poverty associated with menstruation. We believe all women and menstruating people should have access to menstrual protection during their period; it should be a basic human right. 

👉 Join the movement and support our cause by making a donation here. Together, we can create a more inclusive and supportive society. 

👉 Join hands with us on @NeitivRedDot🔴 Instagram and be a force for change. Together, we can bring an end to period stigma and uplift communities in need.

NEITIV RED DOT PROJECT

We launched Neitiv 'Coconut Flower Beer' (CFB4W) on 08 March 2021. A year after, on 08 March 2022, we launched our ambitious project, ‘Red Dot’ to combat period stigma and menstrual poverty. By purchasing Neitiv products, our lovely customers are contributing to the Neitiv Red Dot Project.

We chose to contribute to eliminating period stigma and poverty because as a brand we want to empower all people and we recognise the importance of brands using their position to contribute to effecting positive change. 

How is Neitiv donating menstrual pads?

We have successfully implemented our initiative in the UK and eventually will be rolled out to all countries where our premium lager is stocked. Also, it will be implemented in villages in India, Thailand and Vietnam where some of our coconut producers are based. We are currently donating the pads through refugee camps, events, local charities and our website.

Why does Neitiv need your support and donation?

Neitiv is a new start-up and small business from Wiltshire, UK. We need more donation and support to build and expand this ambitious initiative in order to help more women, girls and menstruating people through various initiatives and awareness programmes. Join the movement and support our cause by making a donation here. 

 WHAT IS PERIOD POVERTY?

No one should be held back because of their period. However for many, this is not a reality. Sadly, people face the economic burden of menstrual health care products. Period poverty refers to a lack of access to menstrual products, sanitation facilities, and adequate education. This widespread issue affects an estimated 500 million people worldwide.

 For example;

• UK: 1 in 10 British girls/women can't afford to buy menstrual products, while 1 in 7 have struggled to afford them. It is estimated that currently over 137,000 children across the UK have missed school days due to period poverty.
• US: About 16.9 million American people who menstruate live in poverty. 1 in 5 girls in the US miss school because they lack access to menstrual products.
• INDIA: About 36% of India's 355 million menstruating females use period products, while the rest use other life-threatening materials to manage their flow.
• MALAYSIA: It is estimated that 130,000 teenagers in Malaysia do not have access to period products because of financial constraints.
• NIGERIA: Around 25% of women in Nigeria lack adequate privacy to manage their periods, which often prevents them from attending school and puts them at higher risk of sexual violence.
• KENYA: where 65% of women find period pads to be too expensive, women have reported that they’ve been forced to trade sex for menstrual products because they could not afford them.

PERIOD SHAME: WHY IS IT TABOO TO TALK ABOUT PERIOD? 

Menstruation stigma is a form of misogyny. Despite the fundamental nature of it, talking about periods is widely taboo. The topic of menstruation being taboo seems to have roots in cultural and religious beliefs. In many cultures around the world menstruating women are considered impure and polluted.

Some also find it difficult to talk to the opposite sex due to feeling embarrassed, but often not being able to financially afford period products can lead to woman hiding that it is their time of the month. Taboos seem to be universal and found across the globe.

Taboos found in old writings - Latin encyclopaedia (73 AD):

“Contact with [menstrual blood] turns new wine sour, crops touched by it become barren, grafts die, seed in gardens are dried up, the fruit of trees fall off, the edge of steel and the gleam of ivory are dulled, hives of bees die, even bronze and iron are at once seized by rust, and a horrible smell fills the air; to taste it drives dogs mad and infects their bites with an incurable poison”.

How Men and Women can be part of the solution?

Most people, especially boys and men, avoid talking about periods. Period is a sign of good health. So, let’s break the silence. Raise your voice to end period shame and poverty.

Men & Boys

• Partners – Know when your partner is on their period, buy them period products, assist them with ways to ease the stress/pain/discomfort.
• Fathers – Have conversations with your daughters about their period, when it may start, what it is, buy them period products, help break the taboo and any embarrassment.
• All – Have open conversations with everyone at home. Educate yourselves and others on how periods affect women, what they are, why women have them and also about how period poverty can affect women across the globe. Be proud of supporting charitable causes to end period poverty.

Women & Girls

• Be open about when you are on your period and how it makes you feel
• Do not hide period products like they are contraband
• Educate yourself and others
• Support charitable causes to end period poverty

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PERIOD

Period happens because of changes in hormones in the body. A period is the part of the menstrual cycle when a woman bleeds from her vagina for a few days. Every month, in the years between puberty (about age 11 to 14) and menopause (about age 51), woman body readies itself for pregnancy. These hormones cause the lining of the uterus (or womb) thickens and an egg grows and is released from one of your ovaries. This gets the uterus ready for an egg (from the mom) and sperm (from the dad) to attach and grow into a baby. If pregnancy doesn’t occur, it tells your body to begin menstruation. During your period, the uterus sheds its lining and it’s passed, along with some blood, out of the body through the vagina.

• For most women the menstrual cycle happens every 28 days or so, but it's common for periods to be more or less frequent than this, ranging from day 21 to day 40 of their menstrual cycle.
• Period can last between 3 and 8 days, but it will usually last for about 5 days. The bleeding tends to be heaviest in the first 2 days.
• You'll lose about 30 to 72ml (5 to 12 teaspoons) of blood during your period, although some women bleed more heavily than this.

*Reference: NHS

TREATING PERIOD PAIN

Period pain is common and a normal part of the menstrual cycle. Most women get it at some point in their lives. The pain usually lasts 48 to 72 hours, although it can last longer. During period, your uterus contracts to help expel its lining. Hormonelike substances involved in pain and inflammation trigger the uterine muscle contractions. It's usually felt as painful muscle cramps in the tummy, which can spread to the back and thighs.

6 Ways To Treat Period Pain;

• Apply heat. Heat can help relax the muscles contributing to cramping, so applying heat to your abdomen or back can help relieve your pain.
• Exercise, yoga or meditate. Take steps to reduce stress.
• Drink more water - keep you hydrated. 
• Get your vitamins and minerals.
• Eat anti-inflammatory foods - like cherries, blueberries, squash, tomatoes, and bell peppers are good choices. Chamomile tea or Coconut water are full of anti-inflammatory substance.
• Take a pain reliever

Alcohol and Period

If you're drinking safely and not in excess, it is safe to drink alcohol during your period. Excessive drinking can cause hormonal fluctuations that can lead to both irregular ovulation and periods. 

To learn how to drink mindfully, click here.

To seek help from alcohol support services, click here.