For the second year in a row, bmobile has reaffirmed its commitment to menstrual equity in Trinidad and Tobago through a growing partnership with local NGO, Feminitt Caribbean. The initiative, driven primarily by employees and supported by the company, combined staff donations and a corporate contribution of period products to help expand access and increase awareness around menstrual health.

This year’s donations will directly benefit Feminitt’s Safe Cycle Care Banks across 12 communities, including several schools throughout Trinidad and Tobago. These Care Banks provide free access to period products to individuals who may otherwise go without. It is estimated that this year’s donations will help approximately 480 women and girls for four months. Last year, in addition to its employee-led donation drive, bmobile also partnered with Canon Hygiene to supply period products to students at three schools—one each in North, South, and Tobago— providing free supplies for the entire academic year.

A key element of the partnership is support for the NGO’s ‘Pass the Pad’ school tour in recognition of World Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28. The tour will bring menstrual health education to students at Toco Anglican Primary School, as well as Whim Anglican and Plymouth Anglican schools in Tobago. The interactive two-hour workshops, designed for students in Standards 4–5, will offer a safe space to ask questions, learn accurate information, and challenge the stigma often associated with menstruation.
Reflecting on the partnership, Kent Western, Chief Executive Officer at TSTT, stated "This initiative is especially meaningful because it was led by our employees who understand that equity begins with access. We believe that no one should miss school, work, or any opportunity simply because they lack access to basic menstrual products. Our contribution to the Safe Cycle programme is part of our broader commitment to gender equity, public health, and national development. We are proud to support this growing movement and the young leaders who are advocating for lasting change and even prouder of the sustained, proactive energy from our team.”

Chanelle Beatrice, Co-Executive Director and Outreach Lead at Feminitt Caribbean, praised the sustained collaboration: "As a young organisation, the trust and partnership developed with bmobile has been invaluable to the goals of Feminitt Caribbean’s Safe Cycle programme. The impact of the support received highlights the critical need for other companies and entities to mirror this level of commitment to underscore and alleviate the severe impacts of period poverty in Trinidad and Tobago. bmobile has tremendously boosted our efforts to provide free menstrual products at our Care Banks and our work toward influencing menstrual equity in Trinidad and Tobago."

She continued, "Our school workshops play a critical role in reaching children—both girls and boys—in conversations about menstruation, period poverty, and the need to break the stigma associated with having a period. Menstrual education is a pillar for young people to be the change-makers in our society."
The Safe Cycle Care Banks have proven to be a lifeline in underserved areas, especially where period poverty remains a hidden but pressing issue. "We’ve continued to see a constant growth in people’s interest in establishing Care Banks in various locations in our country," Beatrice added. "This shows the significant need for menstrual equity policies to be at the forefront of political agendas."

World Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed annually on May 28th to raise global awareness around the importance of menstrual health and hygiene. The date—chosen to reflect the average 28-day menstrual cycle and the typical 5-day duration of menstruation (May, the fifth month of the year) —aims to break taboos, challenge stigma, and highlight the barriers millions face in accessing menstrual products, education, and sanitation. The day is recognized by governments, NGOs, and health advocates worldwide as a call to action for greater investment in menstrual equity and dignity.

Beatrice concluded with a call to action to the wider community, ”Achieving menstrual equity in Trinidad and Tobago isn’t solely a fight for NGOs. It affects us all. We urge stakeholders—private and public—to take the initiative and foster long-standing partnerships with organisations like ours. Support civil society in advocating for the rights of people who menstruate, provide funding to those who need it most, and help demand menstrual equity policies for a just Trinidad and Tobago."