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Donations made through the Light the World Giving Machine initiative, organized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have contributed to providing menstrual kits and education for girls and women in Nepal. The initiative operates annually during the Christmas season, offering a variety of items—including menstrual kits from Days for Girls International—through vending machines placed worldwide.
Tiffany Larson, CEO of Days for Girls International, explained the scope of the issue: “Days for Girls is working to end period poverty globally,” she said. “Five hundred million women and girls lack access to what they need to take care of their period each month, which is 25% of women [globally].”
Maya Kahitu, country director for Days for Girls Nepal, travels throughout Nepal distributing hygiene kits that include reusable pads and teaching classes on menstruation. She described ongoing challenges related to menstruation in Nepal.
Many girls in rural communities miss school due to inadequate sanitary supplies. Rekha Budha Kshetri, a community member in western Nepal who received donations from the program, said: “Because of menstruation and the lack of pads, some girls have even stopped going to school. But here, thanks to this program, it’s become much easier for girls to attend school. Days for Girls has really helped create a more supportive environment for them.”
Larson added: “We’re giving girls back their days because girls on average will menstruate for 3,000 days in their lifetime, and if they can’t fully engage in the life that they want to live during that time, that’s a problem because girls are needed in their families, their communities and the world.”
In parts of western Nepal, many women and girls still experience chhaupadi—a practice where menstruating women are considered impure and isolated—even though it is prohibited by law. Jayani Ayer described her experience: “In our case, depending on the person, some are isolated for 22 days, some for 10 or 12. They are not allowed to enter the house. They force us to stay outside, get food separately, and do not allow us to be touched for six days,” she said.
Karishma began menstruating when Kahitu visited her village with Days for Girls. After learning about menstruation through educational sessions provided by the organization and discussing it with her family, Karishma’s family decided to stop practicing chhaupadi. “[Days for Girls] came and protected us [through the] Giving Machine,” she said. “We’re so happy.”
Kahitu noted broader changes resulting from these efforts: She sees lives changing as resources reach more people through donations—“not just only the one girl, [the whole] community, [the] whole nation will change.”
