Over the summer break, Campus Watch legend Annabel Cole secured ten pallets of menstrual products for students. They’ll be available for free at the Campus Watch office, OUSA buildings, and at any of the uni colleges while stocks last.
Periods aren’t cheap. While a cool indicator that you’re not pregnant, they can take a toll on menstruating students’ bank accounts; depending on your flow, each period can cost up to $15 in sanitary products. In this economy?
With two student-age daughters, Annabel feels strongly about the issue. “I just see it as being, for those who don’t have access, another barrier from their studies. It’s something small that we can do for students that they don’t have to worry about.”
Annabel told Critic Te Ārohi that, since starting work at Campus Watch six years ago, she has been “trying to source a regular supply of sanitary products for our students”. This was met with “mixed success” in the form of one-off donations from both OUSA and The Period Place.
Under the eye of Aunty Cindy, the Ministry of Education began to regularly supply secondary schools with free sanitary products. This service was not extended to tertiary students. Following an alleged change in supplier, however, the Ministry got back in touch with Annabel to offer what remained of their current stock: “From the amount [they gave us],” she said, “I’d judge we got the whole lot.”
Two students Critic Te Ārohi spoke to were stoked at the news. Having recently come off contraceptives, Anna said that the one thing she’s dreading about getting her period for the first time in five years, “apart from having a period, is buying menstrual products. They’re as expensive as meat these days.”
It was important to Annabel that the service be discreet: “No one needs to feel embarrassed or that they have to ask… You walk in the front door, we have sanitary products, we have condoms. You can help yourself.”
She estimated each pallet to be level with her height at 5’4”, and in total “will last around six months” distributed around campus. While an impressive amount for a one-off suss, Annabel says it’s unfortunately “not the long-term solution that I’m looking for.”