A Shared Commitment to Dignity and Sustainability
Whether it is providing 100% free health care to employees or ensuring that the communities at the beginning of our supply chains have safe working conditions, living wages, and social benefits—Dr. Bronner’s dedication to a better world is inherently inclusive. We believe that health, dignity, and opportunity should never be determined by biology—especially not by menstruation.
In 2024, Dr. Bronner’s partnered with CouldYou?, a nonprofit on a global mission to end period poverty by 2040 through scaling education and access to 100% medical-grade silicone CouldYou? menstrual cups. Period poverty is a health disparity affecting at least 500 million menstruators worldwide (including approximately 12 million in the U.S.) defined as a lack of access to menstrual health products, education, hygiene facilities, waste management, or any combination of these.
The normal menstrual cycle brings about numerous changes to girls, women, nonbinary individuals, and transgender men, which affects their lives in different ways. Unfortunately, few of them have the means to face it with dignity and minimum health standards. Recognizing that menstrual health is “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in relation to the menstrual cycle” [1] the collaboration deepened Dr. Bronner’s commitment to equitable health access, while supporting the incredible women within our own supply chain.
Together with CouldYou?, we launched a pilot program at Serendipalm—our Regenerative Organic Certified™ palm oil production partner in Ghana—to provide menstrual cups and education to women and girls in the community. What we witnessed was far more than product distribution—it was an advancement of dignity, agency, and hope.
The Crisis of Period Poverty in Ghana
Across Ghana, women and girls of reproductive age face limited access to safe, affordable menstrual products. In many communities, the cost of disposable pads—exacerbated by rising inflation [2]—forces girls to miss school, women to miss work, and many to use unsafe alternatives like rags or paper. In water scarce areas, adequately cleaning rags used for menstruation can prove difficult and lead to disease. Period poverty, often cloaked in shame, quietly undermines health outcomes, educational outcomes, economic participation, and self-worth.
Environmental impact is also a concern. Most menstrual products available are single-use plastics, contributing to long-term waste problems in rural and urban areas alike [3]. Disposable pads and tampons, and their packaging take 500-800 years to decompose. These products contain plastic that breaks down into microplastics, which then contaminates waterways and marine ecosystems. Menstrual products are one of the most commonly found single-use plastic items in bodies of water.
To make matters worse, menstrual health education remains limited—especially in rural and underserved regions. Many girls receive little to no guidance on how their bodies work, let alone on how to manage menstruation safely, confidently, and with dignity. Child marriage, teen pregnancy, and STIs are consequences of a lack of access to menstrual health education and products.
A Plan International study revealed that 83% of adolescent girls in the Wa East of Ghana admitted to having transactional sex in exchange for pads just so they could attend school for the month—an unthinkable choice for those who have never had to face such a circumstance. Fortunately, in response to this, CouldYou? was able to provide the CouldYou? Cup and health education to 2000 girls in the Wa East. A 2021 study done in rural Ghana showed 97% of the girls reported acceptability of the cup which led to their significantly improved health overall.
How Our Missions Aligned: A Natural Partnership
When Lauren Berlekamp, a former Dr. Bronner’s communications team member and now a strategic advisor to CouldYou?, connected us in early 2024, the opportunity to partner quickly became obvious. With the support of David Bronner and the Constructive Capital department, which provides assistance to nonprofit organizations, resources became available to develop the partnership.
CouldYou?’s Menstrual Equity Initiative had already made significant strides in Ghana, with a growing local team and years of experience distributing their CouldYou? Cup to more than 20,000 women and girls in the country. This 100% made-in-the-USA, medical-grade silicone menstrual cup can last up to 10 years [4], costs just $10, and is distributed with robust health education and a cotton storage pouch sewn by local women—further generating both dignity and employment.
At Dr. Bronner’s, we were already engaged in menstrual health work in India, where reusable cloth pads remain the most culturally appropriate option. For Ghana, the CouldYou? Cup offered a long-term, scalable, and environmentally sound solution—one that aligned with our Cosmic principles of regenerative values and community-led impact. This project alone is saving ~41,858.5kg of CO2 emissions since one cup, which has a footprint of ~0.283 kilograms of CO2 equivalent during its 10-year lifespan, replaces the need for 240 pads a year for 10 years, which has a footprint of ~84 kilograms of CO2 equivalent [5].
CouldYou?’s “Train the Trainer” Model
CouldYou?’s “Train the Trainer” model is a scalable and community-driven approach designed to address menstrual health challenges in Ghana and beyond. This model empowers local women to become educators and advocates within their communities, facilitating the sustainable distribution and use of the CouldYou? Cup.
How the Model Works:
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Master Training: CouldYou? conducts comprehensive training sessions for selected local women, equipping them with in-depth knowledge about menstrual health, the use of the CouldYou? Cup, and effective communication strategies.
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Peer Education: These trained women, now serving as community educators, lead workshops and one-on-one sessions to teach others about menstrual hygiene and the benefits of using the menstrual cup.
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Ongoing Support: CouldYou? provides continuous support and resources to these trainers, ensuring they have the necessary tools and information to educate others effectively.
This approach not only disseminates crucial health information but also fosters leadership and economic opportunities for women within their communities. By leveraging local knowledge and relationships, the “Train the Trainer” model enhances the acceptance and sustained use of menstrual cups, contributing to improved menstrual health management and reduced period poverty.
Launching the Pilot: A Community-Based Model at Serendipalm
In April 2024, Dr. Bronner’s Special Ops team visited Serendipalm in Asuom, Ghana, and met with team leaders Safianu Moro, General Manager; Meimuna Ibrahim, Field Officer Team Member; and Samah Arkaifie, Agricultural Support and Fair TradeFair Trade Manager; to explore how the initiative might best take shape. Together with CouldYou?’s Monitoring and Evaluating Specialist, Kofi Kyeremateng Nyanteng, Meimuna began preparing a rollout rooted in empowerment, trust, and education.
By June, the shipment of 500 CouldYou? Cups had arrived, and the project was in motion.
Three Waves of Impact in 2024
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June: The first training session served 125 women employees at Serendipalm under age 45.
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August: We expanded to 365 high school students participating in our sex education initiative. This time, the training was led entirely by Meimuna Ibrahim, who had become a passionate local facilitator—equipped with a transparent uterus model and the confidence to change the conversation around menstruation.
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November: The final group included teachers at Serendipalm’s Montessori school, who were trained and equipped with cups to better support their students and themselves.
By the end of the year all 500 cups had been distributed, and the results were deeply encouraging.
What We Heard from the Women
After several months, Meimuna began collecting feedback from recipients. Many women said they were a little unsure at first but became more comfortable as they learned how to use the cups. Several women even asked for extra cups to share with friends or family—an enthusiastic sign of acceptance.
From students to teachers, employees to community leaders, the response echoed the same truth: access to menstrual health is life-changing. With the cup, menstruators could show up to school or work uninterrupted. They felt safer, freer, and more in control.
As Christine Garde-Denning reflects:
“When a girl has the knowledge and tools to manage her period with dignity, everything changes. She stays in school, she leads, she thrives. It’s not just about a cup—it’s about agency.”
What’s Next: Scaling Our Shared Impact
With demand growing and positive feedback flooding in, we are now working to expand this pilot and hope to distribute an additional 1,000 cups throughout the Serendipalm communities.
CouldYou?’s larger mission in Ghana continues—with over 40,000 girls on a waitlist to receive the cup and menstrual health education. This partnership with Dr. Bronner’s has already proven that aligned values, local leadership, and sustainable tools can ignite profound transformation.
Take Action: Celebrate Menstrual Hygiene Day with Us!
This May 28th, in honor of World Menstrual Hygiene Day, we invite you to help us expand this vital work and donate to CouldYou?’s Menstrual Equity Initiative!
Every $10 contribution provides one menstruator with a CouldYou? Cup and access to essential menstrual education—helping to stay healthy, build confidence, and create a better future.
Let’s continue to uplift communities, restore dignity, and ensure that no one is held back by their period. ALL-ONE!