Survivors unite against the blade for female genital mutilation

The Women Against Violations and Exploitation (WAVE) Foundation and The Daisy Network provides support for female genital mutilation (FGM) survivors and works to put an end to FGM across the country. The Daisy Network has spread to several states and has reached more than 3,000 people through their advocacy efforts.

The Inspire Women, Men and Children (IWMC) youth empowerment group is teaching women and young girls how to construct reusable sanitary pads in an effort to address period poverty and prevent them from missing school and work during menstruation. The group follows up with students to ensure they’ve properly constructed pads with safe materials and also further educates teachers on how to provide support to students who menstruate.

PLAN International is a global organization that works to increase the rights and access to gender-responsive, adolescent-friendly, and inclusive menstrual health management. The organization set up Pad Banks in schools and has also partnered with local advocacy groups to train and educate young women and girls on menstrual health and hygiene, all in hopes to address stigma, misinformation, and period poverty.

Teams of Shasthya Shebikas, female community volunteers, are spread across the country providing door-to-door healthcare services to those in need who often struggle to access care. This community healthcare system, in partnership with the local government and other area NGOs, provides free or low-cost care to about 80 million people each year and has seen dramatic health improvements in terms of infant and maternal mortality and vaccination rates.

A medical outreach group called Quinta Health offers breast and cervical cancer screenings to women free of charge. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women globally. Quinta Health uses a strategic outreach plan to reach low-income community women in need of screening and trains medical professionals to provide the tests in surrounding cities.

In many cultures, women are discouraged from discussing personal health issues and sexual concerns and the doctors they consult often lack a full understanding of this context. By providing support to patients and training to medical professionals, organizations throughout the greater Philadelphia area are "eager to help doctors close the gap" in their service to diverse communities.

Village Health Teams are groups of community health workers helping rural women access family planning services. They travel from home to home offering counseling, education and connection to the resources women need but struggle to access, including condoms and pills, often all without having to visit a health facility. VHTs have reached several thousand residents, both with short and long-term contraceptive methods.

be artsy's Rato Baltin project uses culturally relevant education, menstrual kit distribution, and engages religious leaders to challenge discriminatory practices against those who menstruate. Since launching in 2017, the group has reached 80,000 people and distributed over 5,500 menstrual cups, while simultaneously helping shift perspectives around menstruating.

The Nursing Heart mobile cervical cancer screening clinic uses visual inspection with an acetic acid (VIA) screening method to make cancer screening simpler and more affordable. Since 2011, the clinic has performed more than 4,000 mobile cancer screenings in more than 40 rural Guatemalan communities.

She Deserves Uganda provides menstrual hygiene education to young girls and an organic aromatherapy solution to pain from period cramps they call The Cramp Relief Droppers, as a safer and more affordable alternative to traditional over-the-counter painkillers. The group has provided menstrual health education to over 10,000 girls across 50 schools and has distributed over 1,540 units of The Cramp Relief Droppers.