Where Healing Begins: Yoga, Period Poverty, and the Power of Women Together

When we talk about yoga, we often picture serene stretches, mindful breathwork, or peaceful meditation. But yoga, at its core, is about union, within ourselves and with the world around us. It is about healing trauma, reclaiming our bodies, and learning to trust again. And for many women, especially those facing period poverty, that trust has been broken not only by systems and circumstances but by the very stigma surrounding their natural cycles.

At Mahé Yoga studio, the journey of yoga and holistic healing has always been tied to social change. One of our most powerful initiatives born from this commitment is the Period Empowerment Project, also known as Project Period Ease.

Why Period Poverty?

Period poverty is a global crisis that affects millions of girls and women who are held back or even endangered by not having access to basic menstrual care. It’s not just about lacking pads or tampons, it’s about lacking dignity, education, and safe, clean environments to care for their bodies.

Did you know that 1 in 5 girls miss school because they can't afford menstrual products? Or that in many cultures, menstruating women are still shamed, isolated, or considered “unclean”? The silence around menstruation is a deeply rooted form of oppression, and it's time to break it.

Our Story: From Zoetermeer to Bali & Suriname

In 2020, during a time of personal transformation and uncertainty, my dear friend Sham Hira and I decided to act. What started with a small effort to help 20 women in Zoetermeer quickly became a global mission. With support from friends, family, and our yoga community, we created packages of tailored menstrual supplies, added small comforts like chocolates and painkillers, and even included a free yoga class. The goal? To show that care goes beyond necessity, it’s also about love, community, and empowerment.

This mission expanded when I visited my family in Bali. With the help of my friend Eny Setiyowati, we identified four orphanages across religious lines and supported 66 teenage girls with hygiene products. From the Hindu-run Panti Asuhan Widhya Asih to the Muslim Bali Assalam, every location reinforced the truth that menstruation knows no boundaries of religion or race, it’s a universal experience that deserves universal dignity.

In 2024, we deepened our impact:

• Zoetermeer, Netherlands: We hand-delivered supply bags to women across the city, engaging in heartfelt conversations about shame, resilience, and need. These moments reminded us why we must keep going.

• Suriname: 98 kits were distributed to students at Sarasvati School by Kathleen Laiafat, our first Karma yogi. The symbolism of women supporting women, across generations and continents, was deeply moving.

• Bali, Indonesia: We returned to various orphanages to offer continued support. The challenges remain, access, affordability, cultural taboos, but our commitment grows stronger with every smiling face and every grateful heart.

Tackling the Taboos

Menstruation has long been treated as taboo, especially in religions and cultures where it’s seen as impure. In some Hindu communities, women are still prohibited from entering temples during their period. In rural areas of Nepal, menstruating girls are banished to outdoor sheds, a dangerous, dehumanizing practice.

But these beliefs are rooted in outdated misinformation, not truth. Menstruation is powerful. It represents life, fertility, resilience. Through workshops, yoga classes, and open conversations, we aim to dismantle the shame and reclaim menstruation as sacred, not shameful.

Why This Is Yoga

This is not a side project. This is yoga. Yoga means to connect, to unify. Our Project Period Ease is about creating unity between body and spirit, between self and society. When we support a woman through her menstrual cycle, we say: Your body is not a burden. Your cycle is not a curse. You are worthy of care.

For those who’ve endured trauma, whether physical, emotional, or cultural, even something as natural as a period can become a source of shame. But through intentional healing spaces, on the mat and off, we rebuild trust. Trust in the body. Trust in community. Trust in self.

How You Can Help

The work is far from over. At Mahé Yoga Studio, we continue to collect donations, both monetary and material, to support our next rounds of menstrual kit distribution. We also offer education through classes and events that address period shame, bodily autonomy, and healing trauma through yoga and community care.

If you’d like to support Project Period Ease, by donating or spreading awareness, or if you or someone you know needs menstrual supplies in Zoetermeer, Bali, or Suriname, please reach out to us.

I never expected to be so immersed in this mission. But perhaps the deepest yoga I’ve practiced is the yoga of giving, of serving other women through their most vulnerable moments.

To everyone who has contributed, thank YOU. To everyone still struggling, know that we see you, we honor you, and we are here for you.

Let’s continue to move, breathe, bleed, and rise, together.