her/, a new Australian feminine care brand aimed at inspiring positive social change for women, has successfully raised more than $50,000 in just 36 hours in its first crowd funding campaign. The company plans to use the funds to launch its global mission of empowering young women in developing countries.
her/, which delivers 100 per cent organic cotton tampons straight to your door, donates sanitary products to a developing country for every pack sold in Australia. Its first initiative, a crowd funding campaign hosted on Start Some Good, had a goal of raising $50,000 within 48 hours to help kick off its mission. The campaign will continue for the next three weeks with a goal of raising $100,000.
Sitting in solidarity with the girls
To symbolise this issue and encourage support for the campaign, her/ co-founders Dustin Leonard and David Wommelsdorff sat at at a school desk in Sydney’s Martin Place until the $50,000 target was accomplished, spending all day and night outdoors.
“We weren’t sure what to expect but are thrilled to have met our goal so quickly. The response has been overwhelming and it is inspiring to see the donations come in from right around Australia to help get this initiative off the ground,” said Dustin.
“We raised $15,000 within the first 24 hours, but saw a big jump in donations over the past few hours. With today being Pay It Forward Day, perhaps, Australians were inspired to support this worthy cause,” he added.
“It’s hard to imagine how difficult it would be to keep up with your studies if you had to miss several days of school every month. Studies show that these young women face a cycle of economic and social inequality as a result. They’re more susceptible to health risks, unplanned pregnancies and often earn less than their male peers,” Dustin added.
“Feminine care products are something that half of Australians need every month. So, it is easy to see how we could all make a difference and improve the quality of life for these young women, their families and their communities.”
How exactly is her/ helping?
her/ is working closely with ZanaAfrica Foundation, which provides support for adolescent girls in Kenya including sanitary pads and reproductive health education programs.
“The journey through adolescence is challenging for girls in any country, but even more so when they have little support or an understanding of their body and their rights. Adolescence should not signal the end of any person’s education. By empowering these young women with the support and education they need, we can support them to make healthy, informed decisions and reach her potential,” said Gina‐Reiss Wilcihns, CEO, ZanaAfrica Foundation.
her/ is now taking preorders for its range of tampons, which will be available in Mini, Regular and Super. Orders will be delivered monthly across Australia and for every box sold, her/ will also donate one month’s supply of feminine care products to ZanaAfrica Foundation.
“Enabling easier access to feminine care products can make a difference, regardless of what country you are in. We support calls for Australia to remove the unfair tax on these essential healthcare items and to follow the lead of governments around the world in promoting a fairer system for all,” added Leonard.
Leonard is also the founder of socially conscious condom brand, HERO which donates a condom to Botswana for each one sold in Australia.
