JOIN US, in uplifting these inspiring Sudanese women with menstrual health products, seminars and a space to talk openly about a widely neglected subject.

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When you support women, you support an entire community. Yet menstrual health and well-being is one of the most neglected areas in humanitarian aid. Especially for Sudanese women and girl refugees. And it really matters.

These amazing women have fled the unthinkable, yet their indomitable spirit, generosity and kindness remains unwavering. Undefeated. We so hope you will join us in giving them the health and well-being aid, education and support from a local OB-GYN that they are simply not receiving.

We would love to tell you more about why The Woven Initiative and Road To Freedom are focussing on feminine care so specifically.

After spending time on the ground with these women earlier in 2026, researching and doing a test seminar where we distributed menstrual underwear to these Sudanese refugees, we were overwhelmed by the impact such a simple gesture had.

https://youtube.com/shorts/X3l6wYy1AXs?

Women who have never talked about their period, broke a multi-generational silence, on something that if not talked about free of shame and stigma, can be dangerous and cause immense social anxiety, isolation and poorer mental health generally. They shared experiences and laughed together. Now they want to keep talking about it, take away the stigma and share what they learned with their daughters, their friends and their community.

For many of them they have never used or had access to a menstrual product before, often only using towels. We want to change that on a large scale, with our incredible menstrual underwear product, that is durable (lasts up to 5 years), ethically and locally made, that exceed the UNESCO standards. We have proudly partnered with SHEMSI to achieve this…

Each woman gets 3 pieces of underwear, helping her having enough to manage each period. We give these out during seminars where an OB-GYN teaches them how to use and wash them, and answer any question they always had about their bodies they never had the chance to ask.

Both The Woven Initiative and Road To Freedom are ENTIRELY volunteer run. With immense passion, and many people with success in their respective careers applying their skills and knowledge to this mission respectively. This means… we have NO overheads, NO hidden fees! So every SINGLE penny that we receive from you, goes DIRECTLY where it should. This is sadly rarer than one might think in the humanitarian sector.

Every. Single. Penny.

Together, we can ensure that something as natural as a period never stands in the way of a woman’s future.

The menstrual underwear helps these women during her period to:

The sewing machines help them to

Please donate as much or as little as you can! And if you can't donate, sharing and raising awareness goes a long way as well!

Each cent goes directly to these women. Road to Freedom have no overhead, we are all volunteers and no flight, no hotel and no cost is taken from your donations.

Where your money goes to:

Menstrual underwear

Sewing machines

Other vital aid

Together, we can ensure that something as natural as a period never stands in the way of a woman’s future.

--- DETAILED FACTS and SOURCES ---

WHY MENSTRUAL HEALTH

“Stigma, poverty, and lack of access to basic services like toilets and water are causing menstrual health and hygiene needs to go unmet and increasing women and girls’ risk of infections” and their likely hood to miss school and work . source

Menstrual health and hygiene services are recognised by UNICEF as a basic right and a health issue, not a hygiene issue. Distributed by the WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) working group, they aimed to provide Dignity Kits and educate refugee camp staff.

Due to the large number of refugees and reports from partners on the ground, the demand is much higher than what is provided.

The WHO has raised awareness about the lack of governments to include menstrual health in humanitarian aid for those who are displaced because of war or natural calamities in 2022. source

An educated and empowered woman contributes significantly to her family's health and the development of her community.

TRANSPORT

Each step of the distribution is created to assure a process free of delivery delays, unnecessary fees and guarantees fair distribution.

As providers, trusted humanitarian Egyptian partners on the ground have been selected and The Woven Team will personally oversee the transportation and delivery of all products.

All female team - distribution, humanitarian aid workers, photographers, videographers, educators.

The distribution will be lead by the female team on the ground and overseen by The Woven Initiative.

The team is trained for the specific needs of the vulnerable status of many refugees, often suffering from PTSD, survivors of sexual violence and war.

Education will take place in safe spaces with only females present, and where needed, infrastructure will be put in place to hold these seminars.

GOAL of EDUCATION

The refugees will be taught how to use, wash and dry the menstrual underwear properly to guarantee their safe use. They also get educated about menstruation in general, to minimise the taboo around the topic in a safe space.

Empowering women and girls with access to this product to be able to go to school and work while on their period, take care of their own children and the kids around them, their community, passing on wisdom and gain strength and dignity.

WHO WE ARE

The Woven Initiative

Founded by a team of experienced humanitarians, their focus is on Effective Giving, a philanthropic value system that is based on research and observations on the ground to make sure what is provided is actually needed, instead of what is assumed. It also values cost efficiency to make sure each donations’ impact is maximised.

During travels in Egypt, Women’s health was a reoccurring theme mentioned around Sudanese refugees which lead to many conversations with locals and different organisations - and ultimately the foundation of the volunteer run Woven Initiative in collaboration with Road To Freedom.

Road To Freedom

Founded in 2016 and completely volunteer run, their mission is:

Road To Freedom Homepage - Charity number 1169584

SOURCES

THANK YOU