Growing up in a queendom in Cameroon, Africa, Dr. Ajume Wingo, an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado Boulder, observed gender roles that are atypical of his country. “Most of Cameroon is patriarchal,” Dr. Wingo says. “My experience towards women and girls was positive because women owned property and had leadership positions.” When Dr. Wingo learned that this isn’t usually the case, specifically how a lack of awareness on menstrual health can negatively affect a girl’s education and her future, he decided he wanted to make a difference.
Founded in 2019, PridePads is a Boulder-based nonprofit that supplies free sanitary pads to young girls in rural Cameroon schools. Dr. Wingo, along with Stephanie Carter, a lawyer and entrepreneur who owns Wallaroo Hat Company; her daughter, Celeste; Mary Shackelton, a board-certified naturopathic doctor; and numerous volunteers in Colorado and Africa who are passionate about the cause, also teach the girls about feminine hygiene. Their efforts dramatically help destigmatize conversations surrounding menstruation, a topic that is still taboo throughout Africa.
PridePads manufactures the sanitary pads in a Cameroon facility using materials sourced from India. Packs of ten pads are placed into biodegradable pouches and routinely delivered to more than 20 schools and church groups so that every girl always has access to them. The schools are co-ed, so the PridePads team also works to educate boys and men about the importance of their mission.
“Initially, the boys were reluctant to participate,” Stephanie says, “but it’s so important for them to understand that girls—their sisters, aunts, mom, girlfriend—have a period, that it's totally normal and not something to tease them about. We want them to grow into empathetic men who believe that having a period is a natural thing, not a disgrace.”
Celeste, now 23, first visited Africa when she was 16. Learning that girls miss at least a week of school every month because of the shame surrounding their periods struck a chord, inspiring her to advocate for them.
“In the U.S., we're really fortunate to have access to sanitary pads and tampons and everything we need,” Celeste says. “Trying to grasp as a 16-year-old that there are so many women who don't have the same level of education around menstruation—I became fired up and thought, how do we do something about this? Now, I can see the impact that we're having on these communities.”
On October 27, PridePads holds its fourth annual fundraiser at Rembrandt Yard in Boulder from 5 to 8 pm. Proceeds from silent auction items, including a two-night stay at a Summit County ski condo, a one-month membership to Mecha gym, and jewelry from Leela Inspired, will help PridePads continue to educate girls in Cameroon’s primary and middle schools about menstruation and feminine hygiene. They hope that their work has a ripple effect—giving information to one girl who talks to her friends who talk to other friends, eventually informing a community of people with more comprehensive knowledge.
“The girls touched by our menstrual education program stay in school,” Dr. Wingo says. “When asked what they will do after graduation, most talk about becoming doctors, lawyers, and businesswomen. The turn for women to lead the world is around the corner.”
To learn more about PridePads or to donate, visit PridePads.org.