Goods 4 Girls

Many of you have probably seen the televison commercials and magazine ads explaining that in Africa, many girls miss a week of school a month due to their periods (rather, inadequate menstrual protection).

Fortunately, Always/Tampax is going to rescue them!

They're going to give the girls pads. Disposable pads. Now, I know that I am overly cynical when it comes to corporate altruism (mainly because it just doesn't seem to exist). But come on! This is right out of the artificial baby milk companies' playbook--although without that unfortunate infant-death consequence. Go into Africa, give them wonderful things from monetarily-wealthy nations, then pull out once they're hooked. Et voila, a new market!

Is Always going to "always" give them free pads? I doubt it. And how exactly should they dispose of these disposable pads? Problem solved! Always is going to build incinerators near some of the bathrooms at the school. You know, to incinerate the _plastic_ pads.

Fantastic.

Apparently, many people out there are as cynical as I am. One woman started "Goods 4 Girls", which gives away reusable cloth pads. Here's the website:

http://www.goods4girls.org/

And yes, I do use reusable products myself (faves are Lunapads and the Diva Cup). "Disposable" products don't magically disappear once the garbage truck comes by!