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Imagine if you had to skip school or work each month because you didn’t have access to safe, affordable menstrual products… How many days would that add up to over your lifetime?

Now imagine the flow-on effect those missed days would have on your education, your income, your family, and your future — all because you had your period…

And now, on top of all that, imagine that no one ever taught you about periods in the first place. Or worse, that it was ingrained in you that menstruation was ‘bad’, ‘dirty’, and ‘shameful’…

This is the distressing reality for girls and women all over the world — 500 million of them, in fact. It’s called ‘Period Poverty’. 

And in this mind blowing, heart expanding episode, Celeste Mergens — founder of the incredible not-for-profit, ‘Days For Girls’ — is sharing the remarkable story of how she and her team are working to end Period Poverty by increasing access to period products, providing holistic menstrual health education in communities around the globe, and creating Menstrual Equity for all.

About Celeste Mergens

Celeste Mergens is an innovative thought-leader that has founded several successful organisations, including global award-winning Days for Girls International. Days for Girls was named by the Huffington Post as a ‘Next Ten’ Organisation poised to change the world in the next decade. They have reached 2.4+ million women and girls, and communities in 144 countries with menstrual wellness resources and health education.

Celeste is also a sought after speaker and coach. She has been named Conscious Company Global Impact Entrepreneur’s Top Ten Women, a Global Washington Global Hero, and Women’s Economic Forum’s Woman of the Decade. She has been featured in Oprah’s O Magazine, Forbes, and Stanford Social Innovation Review.

In this episode we chat about:

• The incredible origin story of Days for Girls (and how Nick and I were first introduced to this amazing organisation) (03:01)
• Their revolutionary menstrual health product — that’s beautiful, washable, and reusable — and how it’s transforming menstrual wellness in under-served communities (11:15)
• How do we overcome taboos around periods and create safe spaces for these conversations? Why is this so crucial? (17:22)
• Why period education starts with the celebration of our OWN body (26:22)
• The must-read books which have changed Celeste’s life (including two of my all-time faves!) (35:53)
• Her unique and inspiring take on what success *really* means (and a big lesson on confidence and support) (39:13)
• The daily routines that set her up for presence and productivity, plus how she finds joy in unexpected ways (49:43)

Episode resources:

• Days for Girls International (website)
• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz (book)
• Ancient Wisdom, Modern Parenting & Finding Freedom With Don Miguel Ruiz Jr. (podcast)
• The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist (book)
• Why Wealth Is Not A Dirty Word & Using Money To Save The World with Lynne Twist (podcast)
• Days for Girls Show (podcast)

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honored that you’re here and would be SO grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple podcasts, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

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