Did you know that, every year, there’s a day dedicated to raising awareness about periods and all the issues that surround periods — from period poverty, to stigma, to menstrual inequity, to the fact that, still, learners are missing out on their education because of menstruation? 

It’s called World Menstrual Hygiene Day, marked every year on May 28, and this year’s theme is: “making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030.” 

In honor of this year’s World Menstrual Hygiene Day, Procter & Gamble (P&G) — home of Always sanitary products — launched its new campaign in South Africa #AlwaysBloodSisters, working to break down the barriers to education caused by period poverty. 

The #AlwaysBloodSisters campaign is all about sisterhood and the importance of women supporting women and lifting each other up. 

In a captivating video with a sing-along vibe, schoolgirls are featured dancing and singing: “Sisters don’t let sisters down, sisters don't let sisters frown, sisters keep sisters safe, sisters fight for sisters’ sake, sisters fight for sisters’ rights.” 

As well as being a complete earworm, the video carries a really important message: that too many around the world are seeing their educations disrupted by a lack of menstrual equity, menstrual products, and facilities in schools that ensure everybody can manage their periods in safety and dignity. 

As part of the campaign and the P&G Always Keeping Girls in School program, P&G hosted an event on May 26 at Thutolore Secondary School in Gauteng province, South Africa, featuring top choreographer Bontle Modiselle. 

Modiselle, herself a beneficiary of the P&G Always Keeping Girls in School program, said: “It’s an amazing experience for me to have come full circle and to give back to the program as it gave to me all those years ago. Every girl deserves to go to school without fear of missing classes because of her period.” 

To help with this, P&G and Always are donating one period pad for every pack bought, as well as encouraging citizens to donate period pads that will be distributed to girls in need of them in South African high schools. 

Head to the Always P&G website or follow #AlwaysBloodSisters on social media to find out more about the campaign and how you can help.