Every May, we celebrate our Mālama Your Maʻi campaign, and this year marks six years of showing up and doing the work to give our lāhui and menstruators the care and dignity they deserve. Throughout the campaign, we raise funds to build community support for our period supplies program and bring awareness about period poverty and menstrual inequity in the lāhui.

But, it’s more than a campaign. For many in our lāhui, the struggle to afford the basics is real. Period products are often sacrificed if food needs to be put on the table or a bill needs to be paid, and our keiki still think they’re dying when they get their first period because they didn’t know any better. We must do better.

All month long, we’ll be sharing stories, facts, and ways to get involved as we raise awareness about period poverty and menstrual inequity in our islands. Because when we mālama our maʻi, we mālama our people.

It’s also a time for us to recognize Period Poverty Awareness Week, taking place this year from May 11-17. This national initiative, launched by the Alliance for Period Supplies, brings together a large network of independent period supply banks across the nation. As a proud member, we’re united in collective action to raise awareness around the issue of period poverty and the negative impact it has on girls, women, menstruators, and anyone who gets their maʻi.

Mahalo for following our journey and being part of this movement 🌺