When you think of the term “period poverty”, you may be tempted to think of the 150 million women and girls in some of the poorest countries across the globe, who are unable to attend school or work because they can’t afford sanitary products. But as recent events have shown us, the issue is shockingly more prevalent in the UK than first thought.

From homeless women to girls from low-income families, domestic violence victims and those living on the breadline (in low paid work or on benefits, or both) — period poverty affects a greater number of women in the UK than we currently know. Thankfully several charities and politicians have committed to not only investigating the crisis more extensively but to also implementing practical solutions, which will ensure women in living in extreme poverty aren’t excluded from daily life due to their period.

Initiatives such as ‘Homeless Period’ are doing excellent work campaigning to bring dignity to homeless women. Most recently, the Liberal Democrats pledged to end the ‘hidden problem’ of period poverty by providing free feminine hygiene products in schools, should they get into power. But it’s not just institutions making the difference — individuals are too. Meet two young black women who are committed to tackling this crisis head on.

Ebun Ali: The White Experience

Christmas is supposedly the most wonderful time of the year, but not so if you’re a homeless woman on your period. However, 26-year-old Ebun Ali is on a mission to change that.

Founder of the Beauty Therapy project, a wellbeing and personal development network for women which hosts a range of events, Ebun decided to launch the White Experience — an initiative to pamper homeless women at Christmas, after a particularly painful period.