Period poverty is on the rise in Aotearoa according to Tukau Legacy founder Season-Mary Downs.
KidsCan has released a survey report claiming 23 percent of women have missed work due to a lack of money to buy sanitary products.
Others told of using toilet paper and rags.
Downs says, "The issue is connected to regular poverty. If you think, our whānau are struggling to afford food and petrol in their cars so the affordability of sanitary products is a real issue."
Period poverty has also had a direct impact on education, with girls missing substantial amounts of schooling due to a lack of sanitary products.
Downs says that menstrual cups are a solution that takes away the huge costs and aligns with kaitiakitanga.
Through fundraising, Tukau Legacy has supplied over 2,000 cups to women and they continue to supply whānau with an alternative.