In February 2025, we took a major step forward in our commitment to menstrual health equity in Southeast Asia by bringing Project SHE to Timor-Leste. This initiative is a collaboration effort between Tulisan Puan, Sabeh Foundation and our Equity Initiative Fellows in Timor Leste. Funded by the Equity Initiative Fellowship , this project focuses on making menstrual health sustainable, inclusive, and community-led. In June 2025, we visited the Ermera and Liquica districts and engaged with communities, schools, local tailors, youth, and volunteers—all united by a shared goal: to break menstrual stigma and co-create practical, dignified solutions.
Why Menstrual Health Matters
Menstruation is a natural part of life for half of the world’s population, yet in many communities, it remains surrounded by silence, misinformation, and shame. In places where access to clean water, affordable hygiene products, and health education is limited, menstruation becomes more than just a health issue—it becomes a barrier to education, self-esteem, and participation.
In Timor-Leste, conversations about menstruation are often still taboo. Many girls miss school during their periods due to lack of waste management or proper sanitation facilities. Disposable pads, when available, are often too expensive or uncomfortable for them to use due to chemical containment in the products. These challenges disproportionately affect girls and women in rural and underserved areas.
Project SHE (Sustainable, Healthy, Equitable) aims to challenge this status quo.
Our Mission: Local Solutions, Local Leaders
Most of disposable products available in Timor Leste are imported from Indonesia and Australia, and even if reusable menstrual pads are narrowly available in the capital city, it is also imported from both countries. It makes us think about making it a local product.
Rather than importing products, Project SHE emphasizes local ownership and innovation. We asked: What if communities themselves could create and sustain their own menstrual solutions? What if young people could lead the charge?
With these questions in mind, we set out to build something unique in Timor-Leste—an ecosystem of change led by the people most affected by the problem.
Highlights from the Field Visit
Our recent field activities in Ermera and Liquica included several interconnected components:
Prototyping Reusable Pads with Local Tailors
One of our key strategies was to introduce reusable menstrual pads (in collaboration with Perfect Fit Indonesia) that are cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and made by local artisan in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. By introducing the reusable pads, we collaborated with community tailors who were trained to create early prototypes using locally available fabrics.
This approach not only makes menstrual products more accessible but also opens up income-generating opportunities for women in the community. These tailors are now equipped to become both producers and educators in their neighborhoods.
Training Youth and SABEH Volunteers
We partnered with SABEH, a local organization with strong youth engagement, to run a series of workshops with young people and community volunteers. These sessions focused not just on the practical use and care of reusable pads, but also on broader menstrual health, bodily autonomy, and confidence-building.
It was heartening to see young girls and boys actively participating, asking questions, and challenging long-held taboos. Volunteers also brainstormed how to integrate menstrual health messaging into their ongoing community work.
Engaging Schools in Ermera and Liquica
We held introductory meetings with private schools in both districts to explore the integration of menstrual health education and pad distribution programs. Teachers were eager to learn how they could better support their students, and some schools expressed interest in piloting menstrual health-friendly spaces and curriculum changes.
These meetings were an important step in embedding menstrual equity in school systems—and ensuring that every girl can attend class with dignity.
️ Community Outreach & Conversations
In Liquica, we organized community dialogues to understand local beliefs, needs, and concerns around menstruation. These sessions helped bridge generational gaps and brought together women, parents, and local leaders.
We also distributed early prototypes of reusable pads for testing, with plans to follow up on feedback and improve future designs.
Reflections and Lessons
What stood out during this visit was the openness of the communities. People were not only willing to talk about menstruation—they were ready to act. The local tailors were eager to scale production. The youth felt proud to be part of something that breaks barriers. Schools wanted to do more. Men were curious, too.
In every space, we saw potential—not just for addressing a health issue, but for transforming mindsets, creating livelihoods, and reinforcing the idea that equity begins at home.
Looking Ahead
This is just the beginning. As Project SHE grows in Timor-Leste, we plan to:
-
Expand training programs to schools and youth groups.
-
Support tailors with materials, designs, and micro-enterprise training – by connecting with ACbit – a local organisation who organise female war survivors in the country and empower them socially and economically.
-
Gather user feedback on pad comfort, durability, and design improvements from the product we introduced.
-
Create local champions who can normalize menstrual health in schools and communities
Our vision is to co-create a model that is scalable, replicable, and rooted in local leadership. A model that not only addresses menstrual health but also creates ripple effects in education, livelihoods, and gender equity.
Acknowledgements
This project would not be possible without the Equity Initiative, whose belief in bold, community-driven health leadership has fueled this journey. We also thank our local partners in Ermera and Liquica, the youth and volunteers at SABEH, the school leaders, the parents and most importantly the community of Timor Leste.
