REUSABLE sanitary pads as well as menstrual cups are great money savers, as 23-year-old Kusaaliny Mahendran discovered when she was a university student living on a tight budget.

Now, the political secretary to Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran has launched a project to popularise them as a way to care for the environment, as disposable sanitary pads are thrown into landfills and do not biodegrade easily.

She also hopes reusable women’s hygiene products can be a solution to period poverty among B40 girls and women.

Kusaaliny lived at home until it was time for university and found herself having to include sanitary pads in her monthly budget.

“There was always enough at home as my mother took care of everything for my sister and I,” said the DAP worker from Perak.

She had a RM1,000 budget a month while studying actuarial science at Universiti Tuanku Abdul Rahman in Sungai Long, and had to make sure it covered food, transport, personal items and other expenses.

RM500 went to rent, and she was left with the balance for everything else. She would spend RM25 to RM30 a month because of the number of disposable sanitary pads she needed to use for her cycle.  

That was when she started looking for alternatives to store-bought disposable sanitary pads, and decided to give the menstrual cup a try. Made from medical grade silicone, a woman inserts it to collect menstrual flow instead of using pads or tampons. The cup can be removed and washed after the contents are flushed down the toilet.

“At that time, there was very little written locally about menstrual cups and even fewer places that sold it. Only The Hive sold them,” Kusaaliny said, referring to the zero-waste store, which has outlets in Bangsar and Ampang. It also has an online presence.

“And while I was initially apprehensive about them, I gave them a try as I thought they would ease my budget issues.”

Although it took some getting used to, Kusaaliny described the switch to menstrual cups as “life-changing”.

“I no longer have to budget for pads. On top of that, I don’t have to worry about running out of pads and scrambling when I need them.

“When the cup I’m using is full, I just go to the washroom and remove and rinse and reuse it,” she said at the Bukit Gasing constituency service centre in Petaling Jaya on Thursday.

Three-month campaign

But while the switch freed her from budget worries and other concerns associated with using sanitary pads, it took Kusaaliny another three years before she could use her experience to help others.

“At Bukit Gasing constituency, we are always looking for ways to help residents save the environment. And I thought, why not try to promote the use of menstrual cups here,” she said.

She pitched the idea to Rajiv, who credits her with driving the campaign that is run by his constituency office.

There is a lot more literature and awareness on menstrual cups and washable sanitary pads now, but Kusaaliny said many women are still wary of them.

“As such, we promoted it during International Women’s Day on March 8 this year. It was a one-day event where we set up a booth to sell reusable products and answer questions about menstrual cups and washable pads.

“We explained how to use them and wash them. This is something that’s not easy to (talk about). Although there are three women in my family, we never discussed these things,” she added.

They sold 75 menstrual cups that day, at RM60 each subsidised by the Bukit Gasing constituency office. The usual price for a cup is RM80.

They also sold reusable pads in a set of three for RM25, a subsidised rate as each washable pad is normally priced from RM15 to RM25 each.

Rajiv, meanwhile, said the campaign to get more women to switch to reusable sanitary products was in line with his constituency’s emphasis on caring for the environment.

“We already have other environmentally friendly campaigns such as monthly composting workshops and Cash 4 Trash (a recyclable waste buy-back programme).

“Promoting the use of reusable sanitary pads or cups is in line with our aim of promoting sustainability.

“Moreover, I think it will help the lower income groups where some suffer from period poverty (the inability to buy sanitary pads),” said the two-term assemblyman.

Civil society groups working with underprivileged communities have previously noted how the lack of funds to buy sanitary pads have prevented menstruating girls from going to school.

The Bukit Gasing constituency office will be promoting menstrual cups and reusable sanitary pads for another three months, until August 22.

“In this campaign, we will partner The Hive, Breeze for you and reproductive health physician Dr Subatra Jayaraj to promote these products,” said Kusaaliny.

Rajiv’s office, meanwhile, will fully refund those who decide against using the items after buying them. These refunds are only during the campaign period.

“All they have to do is to cut it up (the items) and send a picture to us and there will be a 100% refund. We hope this campaign will help remove the financial barriers to trying out reusable cups and pads,” said Rajiv.

Rajiv’s office will hold three workshops on using these items on June 19, July 27 and August 20.

Another lawmaker who has taken on menstrual cups and reusable pads as an environmental care project in her constituency is Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi. Her parliamentary office is running a similar campaign this weekend in Johor Baru, in conjunction with Menstrual Hygiene Day today. – May 28, 2022.