Almeida Leads Effort in Support of Menstrual Health Equity
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On October 4, 2024, students attended an inspiring demonstration of community engagement aimed at drawing attention to the pressing issue of period poverty. Led by Fiona Jamal Almeida, a third-year doctoral candidate in the Department of Health Promotion and Policy, the Period Kit Packing event brought together dozens of participants and organizations to assemble over 300 period kits that will be donated to local organizations like the Amherst Survival Center and the Care Center in Holyoke.
“According to the World Health Organization, period poverty impacts nearly 500 million menstruators who do not have access to safe and clean menstrual products and adequate facilities,” says Almeida, founder of the nonprofit organization Small Acts for Sustainability, which is dedicated to raising awareness about period poverty, menstrual stigma and reproductive health issues. “This event aimed to foster a deeper understanding of menstruation-related challenges and promote solidarity among those who menstruate.”
Almeida was pleased with the event turnout, which saw attendees coming together not only to pack these essential kits but also to engage in meaningful activities, including crafting period bracelets and learning about the phases of a menstrual cycle. She also shared her personal story with endometriosis that inspired her journey in starting her nonprofit.
Almeida emphasized that the event's success was a collaborative effort, supported by a $2000 grant she received from the UMass Amherst Office of Equity and Inclusion and in partnership with student organizations PERIOD UMass, AGASA, UMass Public Health Club, Chi Omega and BUILD UMass, who helped with the planning and recruiting of students, staff and faculty at UMass. Several UMass faculty also encouraged their students to attend by circulating the event poster to their classes.
“All these organizations are also passionate about menstrual health and equity,” notes Almeida. “I am thankful for their invaluable support and partnership.”
She adds, “I would also like to thank the UMass community, particularly the Experiential Learning program led by Dr. Lorraine Cordeiro, as well as my colleague Maria Wigati, and students Amara Cheng and Yejun Na, who provided invaluable support on the planning and logistics of the event. The entire experiential learning program team worked tirelessly in making this event a success.”
Almeida serves as the supervising research assistant for the experiential learning program, which provides opportunities to under-representation and exclusion of racially minoritized peoples in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
She also acknowledged the support of Health Promotion and Policy administrative staff Gloria Seaman and Linda Bramhall, as well as undergraduate student Lina Pires and graduate students Ariel Scalise and Bushra Islam for their time and support on the days leading up to the event.
Almeida has received requests from students to host another period packing event on campus and she hopes to receive future OEI funding or other similar UMass Amherst grants to expand the initiative, reaching even more students, faculty, and staff to continue breaking the stigma around menstruation—one period at a time.
