Giullia

Ashoka Young Changemaker
Giullia Jaques Caldeira
Brazil
Elected in 2021

About Giullia

Giulia wants an end to menstrual poverty within the Brazilian prison system.

When her priest informed her of the precarious situation of incarcerated women in Brazil, Giulia decided to do something. She gathered a group of friends that she met during her experience at the Latin American Leadership Academy (LALA) and created Absorvidas, a project aimed at the production and distribution of pads in prisons. The project aims to preserve the health of incarcerated women by teaching them about the menstrual cycle and ensuring the distribution of pads and toilet paper. To make the initiative feasible, the group created a crowdfunding campaign to raise R $30,000 in 30 days. In half the time, they collected more than expected. With the money provided, the team selected a supplier of bioabsorbents and a cooperative that would be responsible for producing bags to store one’s hygiene products. The team not only hopes to monitor the adoption of bioabsorbents that are washable and safe, but they also plan to distribute them to other prison sites. The ultimate vision is that the women work to produce these products, thereby offering not only access to hygiene supplies, but also offering a job in the future.