HEALTH

Michelle Jenkins: Boise-Based Company Raises Awareness About ‘Period Poverty’

By Michelle Jenkins
The Idaho Statesman

WWR Article Summary (tl;dr) “Saalt”, founded by Boise moms and entrepreneurs Cherie Hoeger and Amber Fawson, develops a reusable period cup that lasts up to 10 years and replaces disposables such as pads and tampons.

The Idaho Statesman

OK, let’s talk periods.

I know, I know … it’s not the easiest of subjects to address, but the taboo surrounding this very natural part of life is kind of sad.

In developing nations, the hush-hush attitude around period care, in addition to the lack of adequate menstrual hygiene, causes millions of girls to miss school, thereby falling behind and at times dropping out entirely.

And it’s not just in developing countries. Many impoverished and homeless women in the U.S. lack access to period care, referred to as “period poverty,” and have to resort to unsafe, unsanitary methods.

I know many women who complain about having to use pads and tampons, but can you imagine having to rely on scraps of clothing, mattress padding, old paper, or even soil and ash to manage your flow? Not good.

This is where Saalt comes into play.

The Boise-based company, which produces a period cup, is teaming up with activists every day in September to raise awareness about period poverty with its “Back to School for Her Too” campaign.

It features kickboxers, macrame artists, chefs and other women from diverse backgrounds who have come together because of the one thing they all have in common — and the belief that all should have access to quality period care.

Each day Saalt features a new activist who will host a discussion and a menstrual cup giveaway @saaltco on Instagram. Women can follow Saalt on Instagram to support this initiative and enter to win a free period cup.

Not only will Saalt give away one free cup to U.S. residents each day in September, but it will also donate 10 cups per day to schoolgirls in developing nations.

“This is such an important initiative for us. … Just one period cup can give a student freedom to attend school during her period instead of needing to stay home and close to a bathroom. We have been working with incredible boots-on-the-ground charities and it is amazing to see the difference that one cup can make in a family’s life,” said Cherie Hoeger, Saalt co-founder.

Local partners working with Saalt are Boise Period Project, Corpus Christi House, and the Women’s and Children’s Alliance.

Saalt, founded by Boise moms and entrepreneurs Cherie Hoeger and Amber Fawson, develops a reusable period cup that lasts up to 10 years and replaces disposables such as pads and tampons, which not only saves the consumer money, but also creates far less waste.

Menstrual cups, in general, have been on the market for years; however, in the quest to find the best menstrual cup with the most comfortable and leak-resistant design, the Saalt Cup was created.

For more information on the product and the company’s mission, go to saaltco.com.

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