Small Acts for Sustainability (SAS)

Small Acts for Sustainability (SAS) is a social impact organization that empowers, educates, and engages girls and women in Karnataka, India and south Africa. During her first trip to Karnataka, Fiona Almeida, SAS founder, learned that during their menstrual cycle, Siddi girls and women, often isolated themselves from society, missing school and work, because they lacked menstrual hygiene products and faced stigma or period shaming during their menses. (Siddis are a minority group of Africans who have lived in the forest areas of Karnataka for over 800 years). To address the needs of Siddi women, Fiona pioneered an educational program that trained women to sew reusable cotton sanitary pads. In some villages, it has become a sustainable business resulting in improved menstrual hygiene practices and better attitudes towards menstruation overall. To support SAS, the Giving Joy grant was used to purchase and distribute cotton underwear, and the development of new education materials on menstruation.