For years, the Kulczyk Foundation has been helping provide sanitary pads to women and girls who cannot afford them and maintaining an open dialogue on issues related to women's health. In 2020, the foundation conducted the first study in Poland on period poverty and period taboos. Over 40% of girls admitted that periods were not discussed in their family homes, and one in three girls was unprepared for their first period. It also found that one in five students had missed school due to a lack of sanitary pads.
Periodic Coalition
At the beginning of 2021, the Kulczyk Foundation formed the Period Coalition, with the goal of launching the "Yes to Pads" campaign in mid-2023 and submitting a bill to the Sejm (lower house of parliament) regarding free access to menstrual products in schools and universities, as well as education on menstrual health, along with an appeal signed by tens of thousands of citizens. Winning a ministerial grant in 2024 is another step towards implementing systemic solutions to the problem of period poverty and allows for a more open, taboo-free discussion about periods.
Tamponettes at school
The Kulczyk Foundation has extended the "Periodic ABC" program to 500 primary, secondary, and art schools (see the list of institutions). A key element of the project is its evaluation, which will provide the Ministry of National Education with concrete conclusions and guidance on implementing systemic change. Therefore, the Kulczyk Foundation selected a representative group of schools. Schools were evenly distributed across all voivodeships, from large and small towns, as well as rural areas. Each school received sanitary pads and/or tampons, which are placed in special containers known as tamponettes . As part of the pilot, the tamponettes will be replenished monthly until the end of the 2024/2025 school year.
In addition to in-kind support, all schools also receive educational support in the area of menstrual health. Initially, informational meetings about the program were held for teachers and parents, and then educators from partner organizations – the Różowa Skrzyneczka(Pink Box) Foundation and the Good Life Psychological Center – will meet with young people in schools to update their knowledge about menstrual health.
We debunk myths and highlight the facts. Experts explain all aspects of the menstrual cycle. In 21st-century Europe, as many as a quarter of people believe that pregnancy is impossible during menstruation, and one in five believe that it's wrong to visit the dentist, bake cakes, or pickle cucumbers during menstruation.
In addition to the Kulczyk Foundation, a grant was also awarded to the Akcja Menstruacja foundation.
The task was financed from the special-purpose reserve of the state budget allocated by the Minister of Education for the implementation of the Minister of Education's Program entitled "Equipping schools with menstrual hygiene products in the 2024/2025 school year"
