THE NOOKEES FOUNDATION
On any given day, 800 million people all over the world menstruate at the same time. 500 million of those do not have access to menstruation products.
From the very beginning, parts of the nookees production were donated to women who couldn't afford menstrual products. In 2024 Janina decided to go one step further and started the nookees Foundation. Since then, a percentage of every nookees sale goes to the Foundation and from there 100% are allocated directly to the projects we work with. Nepal, Uganda, South Africa - we are constantly expanding our amazing network of amazing projects that help us to minimise period poverty.
In Uganda (Toni Garrn Foundation / Girls on a mission) and South Africa (Viva con Agua), we provide funding and fabric to local sewing ladies who produce reusable pads and donate them to their tribe.
In Nepal (Nidisi), we are in the process of manufacturing machines to produce sanitary pads out of local waste fibres from farmers. Our aim is to disseminate the design of these machines through an open source solution and make it available to other NGOs worldwide.
Founded by Janina, the nookees Foundation is financed through nookees sales, donations and backers from the community.
"The girls in SOuth Africa told me that they prefer to hide in the forest during their menstruation. Instead of going to school."
- Janina Breitling, founder of the nookees Foundation
Achievements
Media coverage
Impressed by our mission to minimise period poverty around the world, Playboy magazine supported us in 2024 with a full-page advert to spread our message. The campaign was shot in a township in South Africa, where Janina helped out at the local soup kitchen.
Many girls and women around the world are not allowed to participate in social life while they are menstruating. They either have to stay at home or are even forced to hide in small shelters outside the village. All told, these days of social exclusion can be compared to being imprisoned for around six years - for simply starting their period.
SDG #5 Goalkeeper
Through her commitment to accelerating progress on the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development, Janina was selected by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to be part of their Goalkeeper program. Together with other emerging and established leaders from around the world, Janina is working to ensure that Goal #5 (gender equality) is achieved by 2030.
In 2024, Janina's work with the nookees Foundation was recognised during the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
Merchandise
In collaboration with the renowned media agency Jung von Matt, Janina created the merchandise series This is not a period pad, which refers to menstruating people all over the world who use parts of old shirts or fabrics as period products.
By wearing the merchandise, the message is spread out into the world and a portion of the sales goes directly to the nookees Foundation to support our much needed work.
Power to your period
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