This marks my second year as chairperson of the RIS chapter of HER Period Dignity. This committee abides by the central aims of the HER organization: advocating for accessible period products, supporting underprivileged menstruators, destigmatizing, and spreading awareness to alleviate period poverty. However, as a committee, we are also able to focus on local issues, collaborating to make changes both inside and outside our community.

As chairperson, I lead the committee: planning meetings and events, coordinating communication with organizations and members, and overseeing all activities. Most importantly, I must work alongside the executive team and members to ensure efficient work and direct involvement from everyone. In Semester 1, we held the Ringo Ame Fundraiser, where we made and sold caramel-drizzled apple slices at school with various toppings.

Fundraisers, while rewarding, are always taxing to plan, since they require many phone calls, meetings, discussions, planning documents, etc., in order to substantiate. Caramel, in particular, can be a pain to work with, no matter how nice it tastes or how cute they are. In the end, we made over 3,000 baht in profit, exceeding our 2,000 baht goal. The money went towards buying pads, which we then donated during a trip to the Pratthanadee Foundation.

Pratthanadee is a Bangkok-based NGO providing aid and education for underprivileged women. During our visit, we saw firsthand how girls and women received basic education—especially English—which would help set them on a successful path. I had a meaningful conversation with one of the staff, a recent university graduate, who expressed her gratitude and excitement that a new, diverse (nationality, race, gender) generation of students was interested in helping local NGOs and prioritizing menstrual accessibility. We concluded with our committee members sharing their insights on why they decided to join HER. It was admittedly awkward at first, but I felt proud and elated by the reminder that this committee brings like-minded people together.