About Us
A 501C3 Tampa Based Non-ProfitAbout
Our Mission
Building sustainable communities
To provide free menstrual hygiene products and education to improve the health, confidence, and self-esteem of students and youth in underserved communities. Our goal is to END PERIOD POVERTY for ALL menstruators and remove the stigma associated with it through advocacy. A young person’s ability to attend school or work is dependent on several factors that influence menstruation, such as gender inequality, lack of hygiene products & education, and poverty. Furthermore, menstrual equity is NOT a gender-based issue but rather a health condition affecting ALL menstruators. Global Girls Initiative ensure ALL menstruators have equal access to menstrual products and education to manage their cycle with dignity.
Our Programs
Providing access and building confidence
Learning with Dignity Programs
Through our Learning with Dignity Programs, we provide access to period products and educate the youth about their menstrual health. Having access to period products will ensure young people will feel comfortable attending classes, not miss out on extra circular activities, and not miss school despite having their period. To us, education and confidence-building activities are key to ensuring that young people know their self-worth and have the necessary skills through puberty and beyond. Our goal is to give them the resources and tools needed to make better health decisions and consequently boost their confidence. As the African proverb goes, “If you educate a girl, you educate a nation”. By educating children and teenagers, we are working to educate their families and communities as well as changing the cycle when it comes to youth health. Our Learning with Dignity Programs includes three main programs: Kindness Matters Program, Period Awareness with Dignity and Self-Esteem) (P.A.D.S.), and Period Care Menstrual Dispenser Program
Kindness Matters Program
We decided to call our program Kindness Matters because “Acts of kindness have the potential to make the world a happier place. An act of kindness can boost feelings of confidence, happiness, and optimism. They may also encourage others to repeat the good deeds they’ve experienced themselves – contributing to a more positive community.” Through our Kindness Matters program, we donate ALL our period products to students in, (elementary, middle, and high schools) homeless shelters, foster homes, youth-based organizations, churches, organizations serving the disabled and underserved children, and refugees in underserved communities.
We donated bulk period products (pads) to Title I schools and youth-based organizations to end period poverty. Our menstrual hygiene kits are provided to youth in our monthly educational workshops which include a month’s supply of period products in a beauty bag with a personal kindness note. To request period products please email us.
Period Awareness with Dignity & Self-Esteem (P.A.D.S.)
This program is designed to be the first step in every adolescent’s menstruation journey, helping all girls & menstruators transition into puberty. With this program, girls & menstruators will gain knowledge, tools, information, and the support they need to step into this new stage of their life feeling confident. We designed this program because two out of every three girls who enter puberty don’t know enough about what is happening to their bodies and the most crucial part is that they are not prepared for their first period.
The goal of P.A.D.S program is to be a part of every girl’s journey as well as prevent their loss of self-esteem, anxiety, fear, and personal growth. According to Always 58% of young girls lose confidence at puberty and starting their period marks girls’ lowest point in confidence during their teenage years. It is extremely important to us that every girl in the world is equipped with not only education but access to hygiene products, we want every girl to learn to love & embrace their body and ultimately end the stigma that so often adds shame and fear to this transition.
Workshop Structure:
Length: Two & half Hours Long
Age: 8+ years of age
Description: Aim to close the reproductive health gap that is not part of the school curriculum, to inform as well as prevent girls from shaming their bodies and feeling fear of stepping into puberty.
What will cover in the program:
- Anatomy of the Female Reproductive System
- Four phases of the menstrual cycle
- How to manage physical and emotional symptoms in each phase of the cycle
- Educate on ways to track their period
- Period Product Options
- Sustainable Product Education
Period Care Menstrual Dispenser Program
(Direct Free and Easy Access in bathrooms)
We are able to provide an innovative solution to end period poverty by designing and branding the “”Period Care Menstrual Dispenser”” that is not only cost-effective but able to use any brand and size of the menstrual pad. The dispenser provides a sustainable solution that will allow schools, colleges, or businesses to host their own menstrual hygiene product drives to collect donations which can be placed inside them in the bathrooms. This allows to incorporate more quality period care products for students, women, and menstruators. Not all menstruators use the same size of menstural pads, this will allow for more size options. The Hillsborough County School District has purchased these cost effective & sustainable “”Period Care Menstrual Dispensers”” fall of 2023 to be installed in all of the Title I high school bathrooms. Additionally, BayCare (St. Johseph’s Hospital) will be providing all the Title I middle school dispensers. This initiative will impact over 25,000 students and menstruator county wide to get easy and free access to menstrual hygiene products in school bathrooms. University of Tampa has also purchased the “Period Care Menstrual Dispenser” for students to have access around campus. We are currently working with neighboring counties, and universities to install the dispensers. Please email us if your school district, college, university, or workplace would like to provide a cost effective and sustainable solution to end period poverty.
Our Impact In The Community
Donations
Middle Schools
Adams
Buchanan
Burnett
Dowdell
Eisenhower
Ferrell
Franklin
Giunta
Greco
Jennings
Madison
Mann
Marshall
McLane
Memorial
Monroe
Orange Grove
Pierce
Sgt. Smith
Shields
Sligh
Stewart
Sulphur Springs
Tomlin
Turkey Creek
Walker Middle Magner
Webb
Young
High Schools
Armwood
Brandon
Chamberlain
Freedom
Hillsborough
Jefferson
Lennard
Leto
Plant City
Spoto
Tampa Bay Tech
Organizations
Refugee & Migrant Women’s Initiative (RAMWI)
Univesity of Tampa
Metropolitian Ministries
The Springs of Tampa Bay
Springhill Park Community Center
Boys & Girls Club of Tampa
Pace Center for Girls
Laylas House
Ybor Youth Clinic
Tampa YMCA
Period USF
Bags of Brotherly Lov
Ronald McDonald House
Our Logo
girls, menstruators and youth
Empowering Next Generation of Girls and Youth

Our Partners
Sponsorship






Meet the Visionary
Founder and Activist

Aanya Patel
Through the Global Girls Initiative, Aanya hopes to introduce her generation to advocacy. Her goal is to end period poverty and remove the stigma.
Global Girls Initiative Founder & Youth Advisory
Youth Advisory Board

Lily Taylor
Lily Taylor goes to the International Baccalaureate Program at Hillsborough High School. She is in 11th grade. She is a member of her school’s robotic team and softball team. She likes reading, cooking, and listening to music. She wanted to be a part of Global Girl’s Initiative to help break the stigma around menstruation and help those with low access to menstrual products.

Kaitlyn Tran

Logan Taylor
Logan Taylor is an I.B. junior at Hillsborough high school. She joined the school’s crew team freshman year and has been competing since. Logan enjoys baking and cooking different foods. She’s passionate about educating about menstrual hygiene and helping youth along the way.

Tanisha Pandit
Tanisha Pandit, 20 years old studyng in Delhi university and working to promote sustainable menstruation since the age of 17. She has worked with more than 50K people to spread the word about sustainable menstrual hygiene and train women to make their own reusable sanitary pads. Tanisha aspires to become an Indian civil servant to do a lot more for society.
Meet the Board of Directors

Rina Patel
President and Activist
For much who has been given, much shall give back. Rina Patel is a South Asian woman working on removing the cultural stigma her own culture instilled in her. Growing up in India and later migrating to the United States Rina experienced limitations being a girl.

Michelle Cappelli Gordon
Fashion-beauty stylist
I am a mentor & a life coach for women. I believe that outward Style is only one component of Beauty. Authentic beauty radiates from your happiness within. I help women transform their self-worth & confidence…

Nylma Laureano
Secretary
I am a practicing interior designer, certified for ‘Aging in Place’ (CAPS) design in St. Petersburg Florida, where I live with my daughters and fiancé. Design has been a love of mine for as long as I can remember, and…

Dipa Shah
Board Member

Aimee Whiteside
Board Member
Aimee Whiteside is an associate professor in the English and Writing Department at the University of Tampa where she previously served as interim co-director her university’s Center for Teaching and Learning…

Dr. Niraj Patel
Board Member