High schoolers are taking initiative like never before. Although college applications are a major factor in the increasing number of teens who are involved with non-profit organizations, students continue to channel their values, motivations, and skills into their ventures, often while striving to educate communities on topics that are often seen as taboo, or inappropriate. One such student is junior Vyshnavi Kolli, whose non-profit organization, Mathru Krupa Foundation, aims to spread awareness about and provide the underprivileged with menstrual hygiene products and other basic necessities. 

“The main goal of the organization is to promote menstrual hygiene awareness, and specifically to destigmatize the culture surrounding menstruation,” Kolli said. “In the US, we definitely focus a lot on establishing solutions to fight period poverty in a sense, because that’s definitely something that’s a super big thing here. Here in the US, we just don’t talk about it, so our main goal was to alleviate those concerns.”

Keeping in mind the visions of the organization, it could not be more aptly named. Although many may not immediately see its significance, the name “Mathru Krupa” is very much in line with the organization’s goals of facilitating and normalizing menstruation. 

“A lot of people don’t know what it means, but it comes from Sanskrit roots, and it means ‘mother’s blessings,’” Kolli said. “The reason I chose it is because Mother Nature gives us all these blessings, and especially menstruation for women is a blessing. Without it, there really is no life.”

In today’s society, people are increasingly desensitized to the menstrual needs of women; however, Kolli’s exposure to the experiences of her family in India was one of the main reasons she was motivated to start Mathru Krupa.

“I think it was, kind of, hearing about my family members’ journey through menstruation–especially that my mom and relatives, who lived in a very small village in india and didn’t have a lot of money, would have had really unsanitary ways for [handling] their menstrual cycle,” she said. “Hearing about that got me thinking about what I could do to help the situation.”

The organization achieves its period-related goals in a number of ways, whether internationally, domestically, and locally.

“We have a lot of menstrual hygiene awareness campaigns; we speak to almost 200 girls and we’ve gotten over $600 in the past five months with our awareness campaigns,” Kolli said. “Locally, in the Katy and Houston areas, we do product donation drives, and through the donations and funding we gain menstrual hygiene products, or we buy them. They are, of course, 100% biodegradable, clean menstrual products, so essentially it’s good for the women and for the environment. We go to different shelters, for example, the Houston Area Women’s center, which treats domestic abuse and sexual victims, and Two Sisters Helping Hand, which is specifically for homeless women, and we give these products to them so that they use it for their clients.”

Although Kolli’s progress toward her passion for spreading awareness about menstruation was unprecedented, she has come a long way to a place where she thoroughly enjoys her work.

“Initially, it just started as something I wanted to do to help, but then it turned into this organization with a great team,” she said. “I love what I’m doing.”