Good Causes
Some of these links are also in the cloth pad section, and are requesting donations of pads. Others are seeking to empower women to create or buy their own supplies locally, to provide the sanitation or privacy that will allow women to manage their period, are tackling harmful menstrual taboos, or are asking for physical donations of disposable items. Local women's refuges/shelters are often need of supplies. Lots of us have a stash of leftover disposables that we no longer want when we discover reusables - please consider giving them to women who don't have the luxury of making the same choice.
Algerian Action - Project Washables - Small UK charity working directly to assist individuals and famililes in poverty in Algeria. Project Washables aims to assist women in Algeria who are unable to afford the high cost of disposables there. Algerian Action are not currently seeking pads due to some overall shipping and customs issues, but are hoping to resolve these soon.
Angels for Oroko Children - US-based Oroko Cultural Association, Inc. A donation can be made specifying that the money should be used to send sanitary supplies to a schoolgirl in the Oroko region of Southwest Cameroon, allowing her to attend education during her period. In an email to AlterEco, Mercy Mabian asks "will you help us meet our goal of placing Reusable Sanitary Pads in each girl's hand? These girls need 2,000 feminine hygiene products for 100 schools in the area. " It is unclear whether the project also accepts material gifts of cloth pads for the girls, but it may be worth asking! They do accept material gifts from sponsors for their sponsored child, on an individual level.
Dignity! Period. - ACTSA project supporting women in Zimbabwe with disposable sanitary protection. At this site I was particularly shocked to read that infections picked up from using unsuitable items as sanitary protection can be falsely attributed to STD/STIs, leading to social embarrassment and even domestic violence. The site offers a number of ways to support the project with donations and fundraising.
Feed the Children - Pads, Pants and a Pound Appeal - As the name suggests, Feed the Children UK are collecting donations of disposable sanitary pads and suitable knickers, and money to help with the cost of distributing these where they are needed. Helping girls in the developing world stay in school during their monthly period by providing them with supplies that are otherwise beyond their means.
Femmecup - UK home page of the Femmecup brand of menstrual cup. Donations can be made towards providing women in the developing world with a Femmecup.
Karabo Initiative (MPower menstrual cup) - South African site of the MPower brand of menstrual cup. Their Karabo Initiative accepts pledges with the goal of empowering women who have no sanitary supplies by providing them with a cup.
Lunapads: Donate - Perhaps the easiest way to donate cloth - purchase a donation when you buy pads for yourself. Or just purchase a donation! Lunapads make no profit on the donated pads and send them directly to the recipients. Pads can be donated as a gift in the name of a loved one, or a cash donation can be made. There's also a video tutorial and an e-mail address for donating your own handmade pads.
Project Thrive - Accepting donations to provide girls and women who would otherwise be unable to attend work or schooling or participate in society during their period with sanitary supplies. No longer appear to accept donations of cloth pads - please check with them before sending.
Take Hope (Yorkshire) - Among their other work in Ukraine orphanages, UK charity Take Hope support the girls there with supplies of (disposable?) sanitary products. They welcome donations of money and suitable goods, and hold regular fundraisers.