About us

Established in 2011, Panties with Purpose is an independent, informal campaign to help girls with menstrual hygiene management. 

Most of us never think about what we can’t see. We take things for granted. We don’t talk about issues that are gender sensitive & culturally taboo. If they don’t affect us, they don’t matter. Panties with Purpose is a campaign to raise awareness about the inside story.

Underprivileged adolescent school girls living in the rural and poor urban parts of the world, including Kenya, lack access to basic hygiene products such as undergarments and sanitary towels (UNICEF, 2005) during their menstrual cycle. 

Change begins with basics

When a girl has access to basic hygiene products the following happen:

her health
improves as her chances of contracting infections is reduced;

her self-esteem
confidence and dignity increases;

her attendance
at school improves;

her chances
of success are enhanced;

her self-respect
the importance of self-preservation with regard to health is increased, as is her bodily awareness.

What we aim to do

Raise awareness
about the problem faced by underprivileged school girls.

Assist school girls
with panties (undergarments) and sanitary towels and facilitate education on menstrual hygiene.

Break cultural taboos
by getting people to talk about menstrual hygiene management.

Show that health and hygiene
are not gender issues but a human dignity and rights issue.

Start the process of change
with provision of basic feminine hygiene products.

The campaign

Our partners

Since 2011, we have operated with help from universities, schools, corporates, family and friends. We are grateful to everyone who has contributed. In particular, we would like to thank and acknowledge the following:

Anne Small and Friends, LLP

GEMS Cambridge International School, Kenya

Braeburn International Schools, East Africa

The London School of Economics, London

Institute of Education, UCL, London

University of Southern Mississippi

North Seattle Community College

Seattle Central College

Ramgarhia Youth Sikh Association

An international campaign

Our campaign is truly international, and we are proud to have received support from the following cities and regions.

London, Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, Kampala, Arusha, Toronto, Calgary, Florida, Geneva, Washington DC, Dubai, Hong Kong, Haarlem (Netherlands), Manchester, Copenhagen, Los Angeles, Houston, Sydney, Johannesburg, New Brunswick, Iceland, Chicago, Edmonton, Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro, Dar-es Salaam, Vancouver, Alba (Italy), Lisbon

Since 2011 we have given
60,.213 pairs of pants to
17,757 girls in
149 locations

A detailed breakdown of partners and distribution locations is available on request

2011
Girls/Women Reached
4700
Panties Distributed
18,950
Number of Locations
40
2012
Girls/Women Reached
2,476
Panties Distributed
7,428
Number of Locations
27
2013
Girls/Women Reached
1,425
Panties Distributed
4,730
Number of Locations
17
2014
Girls/Women Reached
187
Panties Distributed
650
Number of Locations
3
2016
Girls/Women Reached
400
Panties Distributed
1,500
Number of Locations
1
2017
Girls/Women Reached
2,250
Panties Distributed
7,800
Number of Locations
8
2018
Girls/Women Reached
550
Panties Distributed
1,700
Number of Locations
5
2019
Girls/Women Reached
1,600
Panties Distributed
4,800
Number of Locations
8
2020
Girls/Women Reached
925
Panties Distributed
2,795
Number of Locations
10
2021
Girls/Women Reached
1220
Panties Distributed
3660
Number of Locations
20
2022
Girls/Women Reached
1224
Panties Distributed
3800
Number of Locations
5
2023
Girls/Women Reached
800
Panties Distributed
2400
Number of Locations
5
2024
Girls/Women Reached
840
Panties Distributed
3120
Number of Locations
7