Period Poverty

Needie Paddie is a solidarity project aiming at helping people in need and aimed at stopping menstrual precariousness.

The Observation

• Women, and in particular young girls, are facing a double sanction when it comes to their period.
• It is still a heavy taboo in our society
• The cost of menstrual products weighs heavily on young people's budgets.

The Solution

• Anaïs, Shahad and Caroline placed sanitary product collect boxes in strategic places, where people can donate hygienic products.
• They then distribute the products to people in need.

The Impact

• Providing a practical solution to aid in the fight against menstrual precariousness.
• Raising awareness on social media among women and men, young and old, normalising menstruation, and breaking taboos. And it works: the movement is already underway.

Find our more on Needie Paddie's Instragram

The Project and Goal

Ilias is one of the former students of the co-founder of "Ambassadeurs pour l'Expression Citoyenne," Bruno Derbaix, and is also one of the co-founders of the organization. Within this association, Ilias is currently primarily responsible for the "citizen school" aspect, specifically focusing on the development of the "Valio" application, designed to enhance educational management in French-speaking schools in Belgium.

Advantages of the project

• Improvement in student behavior support.
• Strengthening the relationships between teachers and students.
• Enhancing the connections between schools and families.
• Promoting scholastic engagement.
• Recognizing citizen behavior.
• More efficient management of incidents of violence.
• Combating cases of harassment.
• Better protection of students' rights.

Originally conceived by Ilyas' classmates, he is now responsible for its development and implementation. It's worth noting that the application is already operational in nearly 15 primary and secondary schools. Additionally, it is currently being implemented in six other institutions, including an association that combines football activities with homework assistance. They are also in discussions for its deployment in around ten other schools, particularly in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Download the Valio app here

The concept

Kawtar founded MOYRA, an ethical clothing brand produced by women, upholding principles of eco-responsibility and vegan-friendliness.  

Project Origins

Kawtar’s venture into fashion began on a whim, driven by an intrinsic need to add meaning and purpose to her life. With no prior background in the fashion world, she embarked on a journey that would significantly alter her life's course.

Personalizing Clothing

Her journey started with the art of customizing clothing, infusing each garment with a unique and personal touch. At this early stage, she gave little thought to the origins of the products she was working with.

A Shift in Perspective

Kawtar's quest for quality and her newfound commitment to ethical and sustainable fashion led her to discover "Stanley Estela," a brand that perfectly embodied her values. She then founded MOYRA an ethical brand sourcing products from Bangladesh, produced by women, and upheld principles of eco-responsibility and vegan-friendliness. Inspired by this discovery, Kwatar introduced "Moyra" to the vibrant streets of Brussels, where she initiated her journey as a retailer of these exceptional products.

Challenges

• Challenging Fast Fashion: Kawtar was resolute in her mission to challenge the fast fashion industry, notorious for its environmental exploitation and labor abuses. Her goal was to empower consumers to make more conscious choices in their fashion purchases. She even invested in an embroidery machine, allowing her to add unique touches to the clothing she sold.

• Navigating Challenges: Despite the formidable obstacles in her path, Kawtar remained unwavering in her commitment to spreading the message of sustainable fashion. She endeavored to encourage others to join her in making more responsible choices in fashion, all while mastering the complexities of budgeting, communication, fundraising, and advertising

Contact Kwatar on Instagram @_moyra.hob

The Project 

DYS/DIX is an initiative providing support to individuals with learning disabilities. 

The Person

Florence is an 18-year-old young woman known for her vitality and exceptional motivation. She is a co-founder of the organization DYS/DIX, an initiative aimed at providing support to individuals with learning disabilities. Her journey with this project began with her involvement in LJE, a Belgian non-profit organization that encourages young people to start businesses alongside their studies, with a primary educational focus. The results of this work have been recognized with three awards, acknowledging inclusion, diversity, and creativity.

The Goal

Sensitive to the issue of supporting students with specific needs within the education system, the project offers a fun activity aimed at detecting potential learning disabilities in children aged 6 to 13. By using a game-based approach, this game seeks to avoid stigmatizing the child while paving the way for a more tailored academic success according to their profile. This initiative stems from Florence's personal experience and that of her friends who have faced various challenges and have recognized the importance of early detection. The board game has been meticulously designed in collaboration with qualified experts working in the fields of childhood and paramedical healthcare.

The Challenges

Today, Florence has identified the following needs: support in various stages of the future non-profit organization, including business planning, logistics, needs analysis, time commitment evaluation, staff, volunteers; there are many questions to address.

Learn more about DYS/DIX on their Instagram 

The Project

Yagmur created Monda Pupo a mini-entreprise with a positive impact both at social and environmental level. Dolls of every body shape and colours to fight sexist and racist beauty norms, created from upcycled socks from "Les Petits Riens".

Parallel to that, Yagmur is also developing an artistic project around the image of women with the aim to fight stereotypes around the female body. She also dreams of creating a photo exhibition.

The Goal

Her aim is to have an impact on the acceptance and normalisation of a positive image, through testimonials, exchanges and images.

The Challenges

• She had gotten a lot of support and guidance from LJE in setting up her project, now needs help in finance, accounting, legal issues.
• Needs help with event planning, networking

Follow Yagmur's project on Instagram 

The Project

Nicky created the non-profit international organisation "Les Rayons de Bernadette" which is a playground center for children with disabilities in Rwanda. Established in 2019, the organisation encountered many difficulties during COVID. The focus is on raising awareness on parental discrimination against the kids.

The Goal

The center works during school holidays. Nicky would like to create a network for parents where they can come and share their experiences and get the needed support.

The Challenges

• Nicky would like to to develop a network of people with experience in the field of health in Rwanda/Africa
• Needs in project management & administration in Belgium/Europe. For example, opportunities like universities sending out interns.

Contact Nicky via her LinkedIn profile